At the end of Rick Riordan's The Heroes of Olympus, Book 3: The Mark of Athena, Percy and Annabeth confronted their fate and dropped down to Tartarus to shut the Doors of Death from the inside, but what if they accidentally crossed the line?
Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase have gone through a lot. They fought the Minotaur, Medusa, a Manticore, the Chimera, Kronos, and even Arachne, the Spider Queen. It was during this last fight that they recovered the Athena Parthenos, a sacred statue that would help secure the demigods' victory over Gaea and the Giants, but the unexpected happened: the floor gave away, and the pair fell all the way down to Tartarus. The first thing they noticed, was that a large mirror, that no monster would approach, not even for some tasty demigod blood. They were trapped, and the only way to save themselves, was through that mirror. What was on the other side, however, was even wilder than they ever thought possible.
(Added romance tag and made story "Teen" for planning on future chapters, and romance mostly in post-story Extras section.)
(Being a big Percy Jackson & The Olympians fan, I couldn't help but notice that Tartarus existed in Equestria, according to Twilight. This story recounts the events of Percy and Annabeth's journey into the other side of the Pit, and beyond.)
That's what I was thinking as Annabeth and I fell for what seemed like for ever. All the way down, we held hands, because we're in this together. We both knew we were going to end up in Tartarus. Arachne was a foul creature, but that much, she didn't lie about. So our friends saved the statue. Yeah, okay, but what about us? I bet in her brainiac head, Annabeth was calculating our fall speed and force of impact for when we reached the bottom, or something like that. All I knew, was that we were falling fast enough to go splat when we reached the bottom. If there was one that is. It was times like these I wish I had Jason's power to fly. Man that was cool, even if I didn't want to admit it. Or maybe Leo's freakish building talent, so I could build some kind of mini-helicopter or something to slow our fall before impact. After about five minutes of falling, we kinda gave up on screaming. I really didn't want to end up in Tartarus with a broken voice. All the monsters would make fun of me, and I wouldn't even be able to kill them, because that's where they reform. After about an hour, according to my watch, a faint glow could be seen down below, and it was coming fast.
"Oh gods, here we are." squeaked Annabeth. "You ready Seaweed Brain?"
"Nope." I answered.
"Me neither."
Great.
Then, just as we were gonna hit the bottom, an invisible force catches us. Awesome, now we actually have to fight monsters down here. I was kinda hoping the fall would spare us a painful death at the hands of a vengeful Minotaur, or any other monster I killed since I got to Camp Half-Blood, all those years ago, for that matter. Looking around, all i see is this huge cave, with lava pits here and there. Okay, so it's Hell, kinda expected that.
"Um, not that I'm an expert on monsters or anything, but shouldn't Tartarus be crawling with them? I mean they come here when they're killed right?" I asked Annabeth. "The place looks kinda empty..."
Thinking about it for a second, she said:
"Well, yeah. But then again whenever we kill monsters nowadays, they just re-from instantly, right? So maybe they don't come back here when we beat them."
As we walked across the stone plains of Tartarus, I couldn't help but feel as if I was being watched. The feeling got more intense as we walked. After about fifteen minutes, something weird caught my eye. Squinting to see it better, i notice there's a small tunnel with a silvery light emanating from it. Pointing it out to Annabeth, she says:
"I dunno, Percy. What if it's a trap? Wouldn't be the first time that happens." She had a point, but I really had to see what it was. Just as we reached the opening of the tunnel, a voice boomed behind us:
"Well, well... If it isn't Percy Jackson and his girlfriend, Annabeth Chase. The two pesky demigods who caused us so much trouble a couple years ago."
Whirling around, I see faces I'd hoped to never see again: Dr. Thorn, the manticore, Queen Sess, the dracanae, Kellie, the cheerleader empousa, and each of them had a group of their own kind with them except a group of Telkhines, sea demons, with Thorn. Even the Minotaur was there. These were all old enemies from the Titan War against Kronos. Frankly it reminded me of a scene from Dragon Ball where Goku was sent to Hell and he met all of his old foes from previous seasons, but that's beside the point.
"If you're all down here, that means Gaea isn't pleased with how badly we beat your sorry butts." I retorted. I know, giving them attitude wasn't going to save us, probably was gonna get them even angrier, but Gaea probably had a plan for us, and she'd obliterate these thugs to keep them from interfering. She'd done it before, when I was with Hazel and Frank on the way to Alaska.
"Percy, what are you doing?" hissed Annabeth. "Provoking them where they're at their strongest? We can't kill them down here!"
"You should listen to your girlfriend, Jackson. In Tartarus, we monsters are as immortal as the gods themselves." growled Thorn. (He still mangled the J in my name with his horrible French accent, too. Just like old times.)
"So maybe we can't kill you, but we can still hold you off. Notice how you seem to keep a distance from this tunnel? What's so scary about it?" I reply. It was true. The monsters were spread out around us in a perfect semi-circle, all while leaving the tunnel perfectly accessible for us.
"A strange artifact sits at the end of that tunnel," explained Thorn, "and we dare not go near it. All who did never returned."
"What kind of artifact?" asked Annabeth, curious.
"Oh, nothing. Just a dumb old mirror." replied Kellie.
"The mirror is said to lead to another world. But seeing as no one has ever come back, I decided to let you the choice either of dying at our hands, or facing eternal exile via that portal." added Thorn.
"Gaea wouldn't let you kill us. She needs the blood of two powerful demigods, a boy and a girl, to fully awaken at Mount Olympus." replied Annabeth.
"But she'd also see our valor if we put two of her primary enemies out of commission." retorted Thorn. "Besides, the son of Jupiter and the daughter of Aphrodite will do just fine for the Earth Mother."
I couldn't let them hurt Jason and Piper, they needed to live to succeed in our mission. And as my friends, I couldn't let these monsters get to them. Turning to Annabeth, I whisper:
"Should we go in? maybe there is a way out, just not here."
With a worried look in her eyes, she nods and we turn our backs to the monsters, slowly but surely walking towards the mirror. Pausing just before we cross through, Annabeth grabs my hand, and says:
"Just in case we don't make it." And she kisses me. On the lips. My brain melted right there, and I knew everything would be fine. We would find a way out of this new world, and we would reach the Doors of Death, close them, and help the others in beating Gaea. Nodding, I turn towards the portal and, taking a deep breath, we jump in.
Traveling through a mirror portal reminded me a lot of shadow travel. In this case, loads of bright colors everywhere, but it still felt like I was going so fast my face would peel off. I saw Annabeth there too. She seemed as excited as I felt, with a big wide grin on her face as we traveled to another dimension. Then feeling ended as quickly as it began, and we were in a tunnel much like the one we just left, only the colors emanating from the mirror were orange, not silver. Touching the mirror, I find that this side of the portal was solid. It was like Thorn said, there's no way back from this point. Walking out of the tunnel, my first impression was: Okay, so a new world, only, it looks exactly the same as the one we just left, with swapped colors. The Tartarus we were in before was made of brown stone and orange light from lava pits. The stone here was deep blue with silvery light coming from nearby pools of... Silver lava?
Second thing I noticed: Monsters everywhere. Most are curled up sleeping, others just walking around without a care. As Annabeth and I walked between them, they ignored us, if they even noticed us at all. I throw Annabeth a quizzical glance.
"Maybe they think we're monsters too. Or they just don't hate demigods." offered Annabeth.
"What if there are no demigods in this world, so no fighting against monsters to start the hostilities. Remember how the monsters back in our world hated us, because we killed them all ourselves?" I suggested.
"Exactly! And because they don't hate us, they just don't care that we're here!" exclaimed Annabeth.
Awesome. Now we don't have to worry about monsters, right? Right?
Wrong. Just as we neared the middle of this section of cave, a loud growling came from above. A giant three-headed dog stared down at us from his perch, where we could clearly see a gateway.
"Cerberus?" I asked, because this wasn't the first three-headed dog I'd seen. Heck, this one even looked similar to the guard of the Underworld, minus the semi-ghostly appearance. The dog started barking, whining, and making all kinds of noises and movements. He seemed more worried and agitated than mad at us. That's when a crystalline voice resonated from somewhere past the gate.
"Oh hey Cerberus! Have you been a good boy?" The squeaking sound of a rubber ball could be heard, and the dog's attention was diverted, though only for a little while. Before long Cerberus had destroyed his ball and started yipping at us.
"What's wrong, boy? Something unusual down there?"
Squinting to see, I see a small purple shape appear next to the dog. I point it out to Annabeth.
"I see it too. Wonder what it is." she said.
Then the shape jumped down from the rock shelf above and, deploying it's wings, floated down to us, before landing right in front of us. That's when I recognize the lavender alicorn standing there.
"You two shouldn't be here." said Twilight Sparkle.
It was looking like another great day for Princess Twilight Sparkle. She had just witnessed and participated in the greatest Summer Sun Celebration ever, and to thank her for it, Celestia gave her permission to return to Ponyville, and establish herself once more at Golden Oaks Library to study the strange box she had received from the Tree of Harmony. This was also an opportunity for Twilight to spend more time with her friends, whom she missed so much whenever she had royal business to attend in Canterlot. Spike ever at her side, the little dragon had eagerly packed the essentials for the flight back home. She wasn't the best of fliers, but Twilight could easily handle the flight to Ponyville from Canterlot on a calm, warm summer day like this one.
"The others will be so excited!" exclaimed Spike, as he secured the saddlebags onto Twilight.
"I'm sure they will. And I'm going to make sure I get to spend time with everypony. Luna told me I should drop by the gates of Tartarus to see Cerberus and give him a new ball. I'm certain he'd love it!" smiling at the thought of such a big, menacing three-headed dog really being a big, ball-loving softie. "But first things first, let's head out!" she shouted before taking flight.
The flight itself hardly took ten minutes. According to Spike, it was also much more comfortable than their previous hop over to Ponyville. Smiling bitterly, she reminded the dragon of the circumstances of their last flight. At the time they were being attacked by evil plants and even eviller clouds. Laughing nervously, Spike was silent for the rest of the trip.
Landing on the highest balcony of Golden Oaks Library, Twilight's biggest surprise was to find all five of her friends waiting for her in her living room, with huge grins on their faces. Pinkie Pie was the first to react, squealing in such a high volume and pitch that Twilight was surprised the windows hadn't broken. Quickly following the pink pony was the rest of the group, and within seconds the six of them formed a heartwarming group hug.
"It's great to see you girls!" exclaimed Twilight. "But how did you know I was coming?"
"I saw you coming for miles." explained Rainbow Dash, a smug look on her face. "You're so slow, I had the time to swing by everypony's place and get them to come here. Pinkie's party cannon did the rest, and we still had three minutes to spare." The four others nodded in agreement.
"I must say, Twilight, you absolutely must drop by the boutique!" said Rarity. "I have this brand-new silk I want to try out and who else would I design for first that the Princess of Magic herself! Oh those decorum-obsessed high-tops in Canterlot would be all over it in jealousy! Perhaps even Fancy Pants!" she giggled in excitement.
"I'll be there." assured Twilight. "But there are things I need to take care of first. That will give you time to prepare." The white unicorn nodded in agreement and bolted out the front door.
"Hey sugarcube, I know y'all are busy with yer royal stuff and fancy business, but do yeh think y'all could swing by Sweet Apple Acres and help us buck a couple 'o apples? Harvest's gonna start and it's lookin' mighty plenty this year." asked Applejack.
"I was gonna make it my first priority, AJ. Then I was going to visit Fluttershy for tea, and Pinkie to get..." looking around to make sure the purple dragon wasn't there, for he had left after Rarity a few minutes earlier, she whispered, "Spike's ruby birthday cupcake."
"Hey! What about flying lessons?" piped in Rainbow Dash.
"Flying lessons start tomorrow, Dashie. That was the deal. Today I need to relax with the girls, not repeatedly smash my face in the dirt trying to do a barrel roll around a field of storm clouds." reminded Twilight. Dissapointed, the cyan pegasus flew out the window, followed by Fluttershy who gave but one explanation:
"I have to check on the animals, and get the place ready before you come over." and she was gone.
"Well, I'll get the Cakes started on Spike's gemcake, then I gotta foalsit the twins while they gather the gems for it, and bake it, so I best be going!" and the pink blur was out the door, leaving Applejack and Twilight to walk on over to Sweet Apple Acres. The job would've taken hours, if Twilight hadn't been there to lend a hand with magic. In a measly 30 minutes, Applejack, Applebloom, Big Macintosh, Granny Smith, and Twilight had finished sorting every apple from the orchard, which had been picked all at once thanks to Twilight.
"Thanks, Twi. Y'all have no idea how much we appreciate your help. You head on over to Fluttershy's place. We got the rest covered." said Applejack. "Be sure to drop by again soon!"
"No problem, really AJ." replied Twilight. "I'd better get going." and she took flight, adjusting her trajectory to the yellow pegasus' cottage.
Tea at Fluttershy's was always pleasant. Watching all the cute little animals go about as she spoke about all the latest treatments she had to use to keep the animals happy and healthy. It warmed Twilight's heart to see Fluttershy open up like this whenever they had tea together. She knew Iron Will's training had helped a great deal, even if Fluttershy had plenty of room for improvement. After about an hour of mare-to-mare chattering, Twilight bid the yellow pegasus farewell and flew off to the entrance to the Gates of Tartarus, after stopping by Sugarcube Corner to get the ball Pinkie had promised her. Upon reaching the entrance, her path was instantly obstructed by a pair of guards.
"Who goes there, and what business brings you to the Gates of Tartarus?" demanded a guard.
"I am Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Magic, and my colleague Princess Luna has told me to check on Cerberus, as well as to bring him a gift."
"Very well, Your Highness. But beware, something agitates Cerberus today. He's been restless for nearly an hour, now." said the other guard, before stepping aside.
*I wonder what would have Cerberus acting like that.* thought Twilight, while bringing out the ball.
A few minutes later, she arrived before the Black Gates, where Cerberus stood, yipping and whining down at something in the upper part of the Pit.
"Oh hey Cerberus! Have you been a good boy?" she asked, in a playful tone, instantly earning the three-headed behemoth's attention. Tossing him the ball, the dog instantly catches it with his middle mouth and begins to chew. Within seconds, the ball was torn to shreds. Cerberus then turned his attention back to the Pit, and resumed his barking.
"What's wrong, boy? Something unusual down there?"
Approaching the ledge, beside Cerberus, she takes a look down, and see what had his attention: two strange, pale figures stood, staring back at them. One figure pointed at her, saying something to the other. Spreading her wings, Twilight hopped from the ledge to get a closer look at the strangers.
*Humans? But how did they get down here?* thought Twilight as she floated down, and landed in front of them. She recognized what they were, after having been one herself for three days in their mysterious world. The humans seemed dumbstruck by her appearance. There was a boy, tall, battered black hair and sea green eyes, and a girl, a little shorter, with long blond hair and stormy gray eyes. The two must've been close, because they were holding hands, and shared many cuts and bruises. The girl's left heel was wrapped in a makeshift splint. Snapping out of her surprise, Twilight said:
"You two shouldn't be here."
The boy stepped forward, and said:
"We didn't have a choice. It was this world, or death."
"This world is dangerous, and magic does terrible things when balances are broken. With you two in this world, something terrible could happen." explained Twilight.
"We were threatened by monsters." said the girl. "And besides, even if we wanted to turn back, we can't. The mirror portal is sealed from this side." This statement brought a hint of sympathy to Twilight's heart. She knew the feeling of being thrown into an unknown world. She had to bring these two home and help them get to their own world.
"All right then. I'll take you with me. There must be a way back to your world. Allow me to introduce myself: My name is..."
"Twilight Sparkle. You're a pony princess, and an alicorn to boot. You've got huge magic powers that you can use to help protect your homeland of Equestria, along with the other princesses. My name's Percy Jackson, and this is Annabeth Chase. We're demigods, half-mortal children of the Gods of Olympus." interrupted the boy.
Dumbstruck, Twilight's jaw dropped open for a few seconds, and, regaining her composure, she asked Percy:
"How did you know?"
"In my world, Equestria is actually a fictional land from a children's television show. Some friends of mine dared me to watch every episode a few weeks ago. The show depicts various events following you, Twilight, and your journey to learn about the magic of friendship, until recently. You were crowned when you made a final discovery and created new magic. Your most recent adventure brought you to save your hometown, Ponyville, from the nearby forest's overgrowth that threatened to choke out a sacred tree called the Tree of Harmony."
Even more dumbstruck at how accurate this television show was, Twilight didn't know what so say, what to think. Apparently, Annabeth was just as surprised as she was, though a hint of amusement shone in her eyes, too.
"Okay, now you have to come with me. That's a royal order. I want to learn more about you two. So first, let's get out of here." Spreading her wings, and charging her horn, Twilight slowly made her ascent, while magically lifting the demigods as she climbed up to the Gate. After a couple minutes, Twilight set the humans down beyond the gate and collapsed in exhaustion. Multitasking wings and magic was a real energy drain. On the plus side, Cerberus calmed down, and curled up into a massive ball to catch a quick nap. After taking a minute to recover, Twilight bade the demigods to follow her, and just as they stepped out of the cave, something completely unexpected happened: A bright white light enveloped Percy and Annabeth, and a few seconds later, two ponies lay on the ground where they had been. A deep blue pegasus with a black mane and green eyes, and a cutie mark representing a trident sat where Percy had been, and a baby-blue unicorn with blond hair and gray eyes, with a cutie mark representing a triangle where Annabeth was standing.
As the ponies rose, they attempted to stand on their hind legs, only to fall on all fours. The surprised looks on their faces indicated that they had no idea what was going on.
"Percy, Annabeth, look at yourselves." said Twilight.
After a quick self-examination, demigods-turned-ponies sat there, jaws hanging wide open in surprise.
This was so weird. I've been turned into a pony. A unicorn no less. According to Twilight, unicorns could use magic. That's great, but I've never had a supernatural power before. All I ever had was my brain. Sure, I was smart, but all of Athena's kids were super-smart, like me. So I outsmarted Arachne, something no other child of Athena had ever done, but wasn't it destiny? These negative thoughts polluted my head as Twilight brought us to her house. Apparently she lived inside a giant tree turned library. I loved reading, so I didn't mind, but what about Percy? The guy was practically allergic to books, with the effect of zoning out to sleep whenever he opened one. Percy... Something was weird about him, more than usual, I mean. He seemed... so sure of himself. It gave me a guilty feeling. For the first time, Percy knew all about something, someplace, somepony, and I was almost completely clueless. There was a lot that i wanted to ask him, but it could wait. To be perfectly honest, I liked Twilight. She reminded me a lot of myself. Her place was pretty cozy too.
"Now that we're all settled in, let's have a look at that leg, shall we?" suggested Twilight, pointing a hoof towards my splinted left-hind leg.
Twilight obviously knew magic well. She'd probably be able to fix it. After watching her examine my leg, both physically and magically, she shook her head.
"The break is to spread out for me to do anything. My expertise in magic is vast, but healing magic is something still beyond my league. That leg will have to heal up on it's own." she announced.
Perfect. Just perfect.
"Can't you do anything? Do you know somebody-er... somepony who can help me?" I asked.
"My friend Fluttershy could definitely help you out. She cares for animals at the edge of the forest, and she even helped me out a couple times. If there's anypony who can help you, it's Fluttershy." A smile faded into existence on my face. If I could get this leg fixed up, getting home would be a piece of cake. Percy came down from the living quarters floor, a little purple lizard in tow.
"Hey Twilight, Annabeth. Spike and I are going to have a look around. He says he's gonna give me a tour of Ponyville while you two talk about girl stuff." he announced.
"Alright. Just be careful, Spike. Percy may know a lot about Equestria, but it's never the same first-hand than it is when you see it from a TV show. I was going to take Annabeth to Fluttershy to help get her leg fixed up. Could you boys tell Rarity that I won't be able to make it to our little fitting and spa session?"
"No problem. We'll see you soon!" said Spike, and they were gone.
Turning to Twilight, I ask her: "So what is Spike, exactly?"
"He's a dragon. I've know him since he hatched. As a matter of fact, I'm the one who hatched him, as part of an entrance exam."
"An entrance exam for what?" I ask, curious.
"Canterlot School for Gifted Unicorns. It's this magic school I always wanted to attend when I was a filly. I almost blew the exam, but when Rainbow Dash (I didn't know her at the time) performed a Sonic Rainboom, it set off a magical surge, causing the egg to hatch, and a few other side effects. Needless to say, it caught Princess Celestia's attention and she took me in as her star pupil. Technically I never really studied at the school. The princess showed me everything herself, though she still gave me assignments and homework like any other teacher."
"Typical teachers. We demigods come as a natural enemy to school teachers. Most of us have ADHD and dyslexia, because our brains are hardwired for combat, and reading Ancient Greek. I'm a little better off than most demigods, Percy included, because I'm a daughter of Athena, the goddess of wisdom and knowledge, so I learn things easily, and my attention span is far greater than that of the average demigod. So what's this Sonic Rainboom you mentionned? Sounds impressive."
"A Sonic Rainboom is created when a pony with a rainbow mane, like my friend Rainbow Dash," Twilight points to a picture of a cyan pegasus with the color spectrum for a mane and tail, "breaks the sound barrier. Many believe that you have to travel at Mach 1, but you actually need to accelerate so quickly that you skip Mach 1 and break the barrier at Mach 5. This not only breaks the sound barrier, but the visible light spectrum too. The result is that the rainbooming pony instantly doubles his or her speed, leaving a bright rainbow in their wake, and a massive rainbow shock wave, that can apparently cause a magical discharge. It's Rainbow's first ever Rainboom that actually caused all six of us to earn our cutie marks." She raised her lavender flank so I could see the pink star, surrounded by small white stars, drawn on her flank. "That reminds me: what do your cutie mark and Percy's mean? You have that triangle, and he's got a trident." she asked.
"Well Percy's would be obvious. His dad's Poseidon, god of the seas, oceans, and water in general. Poseidon's emblem is the trident, which is also his weapon of power. Percy's cutie mark represents his affiliation to the sea god. As for mine, this is the Ancient Greek letter Delta. It was the symbol of a great inventor called Daedalus, who was also a child of Athena. You could say that I represent Daedalus' legacy, because before dying, he gave me all of his last works, unfinished blueprints and concepts. The man was a genius, to say the least."
"Daedalus is to you what Starswirl the Bearded is to me. Starswirl was a great unicorn, a powerful magician, and he created many spells and discovered so much about magic on Celestia's behalf. His last work, which he never finished, contained part of a spell that completed my studies. By finishing his spell, I created new magic, and became an alicorn, a pony with both wings and a horn. Don't mind me asking, What did Daedalus give you, exactly?"
"See those saddlebags? Bring them over, and I'll show you." I replied. With her magic, Twilight slid the bag over to my couch, where I carefully unbuckled the straps and, with my hooves and mouth, brought out Daedalus' laptop. Just as I propped it open with a hoof, a yellow pegasus with a pink mane poked her head through the front door.
"WHERE IS SHE?? Oh, am I interrupting?I'm sorry." said the pony.
"Fluttershy? Good timing! Come on over and meet Annabeth!" said Twilight, a smile on her face.
"Hi there. You're Fluttershy, right? Glad to meet you." I said.
"Oh, good. I got worried for a moment there. Let's have a look at your leg."
After going through a quick checkup, the pegasus smiled.
"I know just what you need!" Opening her own saddlebags, she pulls out a strange cream bottle and some bandages. "This is only going to sting for a moment. It's a healing paste I made by myself. It helps mend bones and I use it on all sorts of animals who come by for help." Then, covering her hoof with the substance, she generously lathers it onto my injured leg. She was right: it stung. But the relief that came after she tightly applied the bandage and re-adjusted my splint was definitely worth it.
Just as Fluttershy sat back, not only to stick around and evaluate my progress but to relax with us, a white unicorn with a purple mane bursts through the front door.
"Spike gave me the news. If you can't come over, I'll bring the fitting session to you, Twilight darling." said the unicorn.
"Rarity? Oh fine. Come on in and meet Annabeth while you're at it. I'm guessing you met Percy when Spike dropped by."
"That dark blue pegasus? Oh yes, he's something alright." Rarity turns to me, "He's yours Isn't he? Darling, where in the world did you find that gem of a stallion? I must say, he really is quite the catch. Oh! Where are my manners? My name is Rarity, I run a fine clothing shop not to far from here. It's a pleasure to meet you,"
Nodding, I tell her the story of how I met Percy, and the others listened intently, hoping to learn a little about my world. After that we chattered along about all sorts of thing, when three other ponies came knocking. That's how i came to meet Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash. There I was, surrounded by a whole new group of friends, eagerly chattering about everything. For the first time in months, I forgot about being a demigod, saving people, going on quests. It was just me, being myself, having fun with friends. I thought to myself, that maybe, just maybe, being stuck in this world wouldn't be so bad, after all.
We went on for a couple hours when Percy and Spike came back, and the crowd dispersed, mostly. Everyone went home for the night except Rainbow Dash, who apparently had something to remind Twilight. Twilight was busy pondering something else, however.
"I just realized: I've only got one guest bed. Unless you two don't mind sleeping together in a small bed, Percy could go crash at Rainbow's house, being a pegasus as well, so he could actually go." explained Twilight.
Percy sat there, thinking for a second.
"I'll go with Dashie." turning to the cyan pegasus, he added: "If that's okay with you, that is."
"Hey, no problem! Can't wait to show you my awesome house! If you can fly on up, you're welcome to stay as long as you want!" replied Rainbow.
Raising my head, I clear my throat, instantly earning Percy's attention.
"There are still a few things I wanted to talk to you about, Seaweed Brain. And I want to address them now, seeing as you'll be going off someplace else." I interject.
"Uhh, sure? Okay," turning back to the other ponies, he asked, "Could you girls give us a moment?" and they trotted on upstairs.
"First off," I say with a big smile, "you watched My Little Pony? Every episode too? What's going on, Percy?"
"Like I said... It was a dare. Back at Camp Jupiter, we were at the barracks and a couple guys dared me to watch it, every episode. I kinda caught onto everything, and I guess it came in handy, considering that we're here."
"Oh, don't think that it's wrong! Far from that!" I exclaim, "I just think it's cute, is all." I add with a smile.
His face was getting redder by the minute. "So uh, anything else? Because I can get Rainbow and Twilight to come back..."
"Yeah that's all for now, Seaweed Brain. Go ahead and fetch them."
As he came back down, Twilight and Rainbow in tow, I notice a glint of amusement in Rainbow's eyes, and a bit of worry in Twilight's.
"All right, we best be going, now." said Rainbow. "Don't forget Twi: Flying lessons, tomorrow, ten 'o clock, my place." and she was gone, Percy following her.
Twilight walked over to me and helped me get up, grabby my saddlebags along the way, and guided me upstairs to her guest room, where the bed was neatly made. Popping on the light, she magically grabbed a quill and paper.
"Every time something new and unusual comes up, I write a letter to Princess Celestia about it. Hope you don't mind if i write it here?" asked Twilight.
"Not at all, go ahead." I answer, interested to hear what Twilight had to say to her mentor.
"Dear Princess Celestia,
Today was going to be relaxing day, but as usual something had to come up. This time, two humans found themselves in our world. Apparently, the world where these demigods came from also has a Tartarus, and that they can reach Equestria through it, but not the other way around. According to Percy, one of the demigods, monsters in their Tartarus dare not approach the portal, because it's a one-way trip. because of this, Percy and Annabeth are stuck here, in Equestria, and have been turned into ponies the minute they stepped out of Tartarus. I took them in to my care, and Rainbow dash agreed to shelter Percy. I expect your response with instructions on what to do next.
Your still-faithful former student, Princess Twilight Sparkle
Wrapping up the letter in a parchment seal, she brought it to Spike, who used his fire breath to send it. At first I thought he was just incinerating the letter, but I remembered what Twilight said about her special "mail service" she had with the princess. Tomorrow was going to be a big day, and we needed rest. There was a lot of reading and planning to do.
Just as Rainbow Dash and I were heading out from Twilight's, I remember something important.
"Rainbow? Your place is a floating cloud house, right?" I asked.
"Yeah, why?"
"Well, I've never flown before... Think you could give me a lift?"
"Sure thing. But tomorrow, you're gonna owe me. Twilight's got flying lessons to take at 10am, and you'll be there too." sentenced Rainbow.
"Deal."
And with that, the cyan pegasus flapped her wings, grabbed me around my chest with her front legs, and we had liftoff. The trip didn't take long, a couple minutes only, but I kept imagining how great it must feel to be free in the sky as she was. Sure, in my world, I'd flown on a pegasus before, but starting tomorrow, I'd be doing it first-hand. I couldn't help but feel a little excited, and nervous too. I guess that's what Pinkie called "nervocited". Then, a large white mass appeared under my hooves, and Rainbow dropped me onto it, making a light poof sound on impact. Cool. Landing on clouds felt like falling into a pile of ultra-soft cushions. Walking up to Rainbow's porch, she steps in front of me.
"First things first, Percy. Ground rules, I don't have many of 'em, but they're all on a zero-tolerance policy. First, don't raid my fridge, I need to eat too, you know. Second, never, ever interrupt my beauty rest. And third, don't wreck anything. Got it?"
"Yeah, I got it. I'd probably have the same rules if I had a place like this. So, uh, where do I sleep?"
"I got a guest room, I'll go get it ready for you, just sit tight, I'll be back in a couple minutes." said Rainbow, and she raced off upstairs.
Exactly as planned, Rainbow was back within a few minutes. I was out on the porch, staring at the moon.
"Hey Percy, your bed is ready." said Rainbow.
"Alright, thanks." I replied.
Just as I was going to turn around to head inside, a high-pitched yell could be heard from somewhere in front of us, followed by a rapidly approaching "INCOMIIIIIIING!!!" and a audible poof as a small pony on a scooter crashed into the cloud. Flicking the lights on, I immediately recognize the dazed filly sitting there.
"Scootaloo? What are you doing here?" I asked. Just then, Rainbow runs out the front door to see the orange filly.
"Rainbow Dash? Hey! I made it!" shouted Scootaloo, looking around.
"Um, Scoots? Why are you here?" asked Rainbow.
"Ms. Cherilee set us an assignment. She wants us to spend the whole weekend with somepony we admire, and and to tell her all about it with that somepony in class on Monday!" replied Scootaloo.
"And naturally that means you pick me." mused Rainbow. "Alright kid, you can stay, but you remember my rules, right?"
The orange filly nodded.
"Good. Make yourself comfy Percy, I assume Scoots here is gonna want to hear more from you in a moment."
I smiled. In every episode I saw that little filly, she was either doing some crazy stunt to earn her cutie mark, trying to spend time with Rainbow Dash, or both. What surprised me the most is that she somehow managed to get up to this cloud despite the fact that she couldn't fly. That's dedication.
After a while, I decided to let Scootaloo have the spare bedroom, and I'd sleep on the couch, which was just as comfy, being made of clouds. Rainbow came down and sat next to me, a tired look on her face.
"I just put the kid to bed, she's really excited to spend time with me." said Rainbow.
"I can tell. From what I saw on the show, she really looks up to you, like the big sister she never had. What puzzles me more is that she reached the cloud, even if she can't fly." I added.
"She probably made herself a huge ramp, or something. That filly is creative when it comes to getting what she wants. I find it cute more than anything, but don't tell anyone I said that, 'cause I'll deny it."
Pausing for a second, Rainbow asked me:
"So what is it with you and Annabeth? How'd you guys meet? She said you were together, but you're so different. You're like me and she's like Twilight."
"Honestly? I have no idea. Opposites attract or something. As for how I met her? That's a long story."
"I'm listening."
Taking a deep breath, I think back to the day where I woke up at Camp Half-Blood.
"It was just after I found out I was a demigod. My friend Grover was guiding me to this camp for demigods, Camp Half-Blood. Demigods gathered there to train, grow up, learn about the world, all safe from monsters. Just before we reached camp, we were attacked by the Minotaur. I was unarmed, so we were in a lot of trouble. The fight was brief, and it ended with me breaking off one of it's horns, and stabbing it in the leg with it. Monsters in my world vaporize when they get hit by Celestial bronze, or other sacred materials. I guess Minotaur Horn was one of them. I passed out shortly afterwards. I woke up in bed a couple days later, a girl standing over me. It was Annabeth. She didn't say anything like "Oh, good. You're awake." or "You okay?". The only thing she said before leaving was "You drool when you sleep."."
"Yeah. Anyway, we on all sorts of adventures over the following four years. Our last big adventure before I went missing ended with us finally getting together, for about a month or so." I added.
"You went missing? Tell me." pressed Rainbow, curious.
"Hera, Queen of Heaven swapped me and this other demigod, Jason Grace, son of Jupiter, Zeus' roman form. Apparently She'd been captured and she needed Jason to save her with his friends, while Juno, Hera's roman form, needed me to recover the 12th Legion's Eagle standard. Turns out there was another camp for demigods: Camp Jupiter. That's when I learned that there are two types of demigods: Greek and Roman. Jason was the leader over at Camp Jupiter, as I was at Camp Half-Blood. Basically Hera swapped us out for each other, and forced contact between camps. Last time that happened, a huge civil war almost destroyed our country, both on mortal's side and demigods'."
"Sweet Celestia, that's a huge risk." piped in the high-pitched voice of Scootaloo.
Turning around, Rainbow and I saw the young filly standing by the staircase, apparently eavesdropping.
"Scoots, why aren't you in bed?" growled Rainbow.
"Couldn't sleep, and I heard you guys talking, so I thought I'd come down and listen. I heard most of the story. So you're a demigod from another world, Percy? Whoa." said Scootaloo.
"Yep. And before I forget, how'd you even get up on this cloud, squirt? I thought you couldn't fly?" I asked the filly.
"I had Applejack launch me with a ramp, like the time where you crashed into Twilight Sparkle's house, Rainbow, only I hit the mark I was aiming for." claimed the filly, with a proud look on her face.
"OK, that's it. You're taking flying lessons with Percy and Twilight tomorrow, young filly. It's time you got around without having to pull some crazy stunt." declared Rainbow.
"Awesome! Thanks Rainbow Dash! Now can I hear the rest of Percy's story? Like how he got here? Pleeeeaaaase?" begged the orange filly with the biggest puppy-eyes I'd ever seen. Who could resist such a cute face?
"Oh, alright." As the night went on, I told them about my last big adventure, the trip to Rome, Annabeth's encounter with the Spider Queen, recovering the statue, and dropping to Tartarus. I concluded with the trip through the Pit, and the few events that took place in Ponyville. By the time I was done, Scootaloo was an orange ball curled against my chest.
The clock struck midnight, and Rainbow said:
"We'd better get some sleep, I have no mercy for sleepy ponies in my flying lessons. I'll see you at breakfast, Percy." And she was gone upstairs.
When I woke up the next morning, Scootaloo was gone, and it was 9am. 1 hour 'till flying lessons. I lumbered on over to Rainbow's kitchen to find the two of them wolfing down waffles. Sweet, the perfect breakfast.
"'Morning Percy!" chimed Scootaloo. "Come get your waffles! Fresh batch, made 'em just five minutes ago!"
"With pleasure." I answered, grabbing a seat at Rainbow's table.
"Sleep well?" asked Rainbow.
"Yeah. Clouds are the best for sleeping, and now I feel ready for flying." I replied, before diving into my plate of waffles face-first. Well hey, I didn't have hands, so what else could a pony do? The waffles were delicious, and by 9:15, I was stuffed and ready to roll.
"Perhaps you'd like to refresh yourself with a nice, hot shower?" suggested Rainbow.
"Would I ever? I haven't had a relaxing shower since I left Camp Jupiter, and Leo's ship had hot-water problems." I accepted.
"Well, come with me, I'll show you to the bathroom, and how to operate my special shower." said Rainbow before trotting up to the second floor. She led me to a wide hallway, and off to the left was a white marble door. Entering the room, the first thing I notice was that the whole thing was that the whole room was, with a couple of exceptions, made of the same marble as the door. Trotting over to the shower booth, Rainbow slid open the crystal doors and beckoned with a hoof.
"This cloud here is the shower head. It's been specially modified to only drop warm, soapy water. The perfect temperature for any pegasus. You start it and stop it by tapping the cloud with a hoof." She did a quick demonstration, proving her point.
"Okay, and what's that over there?" I asked, pointing towards another cavity sealed with a crystal door and a drain at the end.
"That's my drying tunnel. Tapping the cloud at the end opens this massive warm breeze that sucks all the moisture away, leaving you nice and dry, and warm too. You tap the cloud again to stop the wind. Fair warning by the way: the wind blows pretty strong, so hold onto something while you're in there until you get used to it."
"That's pretty cool. I'll be down in the yard in about twenty-five minutes. Thanks for everything Rainbow." I added. Nodding, the cyan pegasus left the room, closing the door behind her.
I stepped into the shower booth and poked the cloud. My effort was instantly rewarded by perfectly warm water falling on my back and neck. Instantly, I felt reinvigorated, even though I had just eaten an awesome breakfast and slept like a rock the night before. As I sat in the water for a couple minutes, I smelled a light fragrance. Lilac? Turning my head to catch a whiff of my mane, I find out that not only the water is warm and soapy, it was scented too. Annabeth would love this. After taking care of some harder-to-reach areas on my pony self, like under my wings, I tap the cloud and the water stops.
As I stepped out, I noticed I wasn't dripping wet. Running a hoof through my mane, it's dry! I'm still clean, and I smell good, but I'm as dry as I was when I got in. Could my water powers have followed me into Equestria? I had to find out later, after Rainbow's lessons. The next step was the wind tunnel, even if I was dry, I wanted to check it out. Sliding open the crystal door, I notice four spots in the ground that I could stick my hooves into. The door slid shut as take position, legs tensing to ready for the blast of wind, and I poke the cloud.
Right away, an intense wind comes blowing through the tunnel. Rainbow was right, the wind was warm. It was like being stuck in front of a giant blow dryer, with like twenty times the strength. I spread my wings, admiring how they caught the wind, but as I did, the wind pressure underneath my wing was causing me to rise from my hoof-holds. With some effort, I closed my wings, and poked the cloud to shut off the breeze. Best. Shower. Ever.
As I promised, I headed down to Rainbow's front yard, only to find her and Scootaloo waiting for me.
"Oh good, you're here." said Rainbow. "I may as well get you two initiated to flight before Twilight gets here. I'll get you started on the basics. Percy, you'll go first."
I nodded, ready to begin.
"First, open your wings," I obey her, eager to learn, "Now, to rise up, bring your wings down with speed and power, the harder you flap, the higher you'll get."
Flapping my wings, I feel the cloud give away under my hooves as I rise into the air.
"Next, to go forward lean ahead and angle your wings so that you flap upwards, and in the direction you're going."
I try it, and find myself floating forward.
"To stop, rotate your wings to flap away from where you're going. Keep flapping this way to go backwards, too."
I give it a shot, satisfied my the results, and I asked:
"And to turn?"
"Just like when you move forward, to turn, you need to angle your wings in the direction you want to go, and to lean your body in that direction. Do a couple laps around the house while I get Scoots started, will you?"
And with that, I took flight. Dipping my left wing ever so slightly, I veer to the left. The control on these thing was amazing. As I flew, I couldn't help but remember Blackjack, my pegasus friend from Camp. I studied my own flight pattern and compared it to his memory. They were exactly the same, minus the air galloping all pegasi did back home. I flew for a few minutes, and was quickly joined by Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo. The filly's wings were going wildly, like an insect's wings, but Scoots was going strong, keeping pace with Rainbow and I.
"So, how do you like flying, Percy?" asked Rainbow.
"It's awesome! I checked my flying pattern, and found out that I fly exactly like my friend Blackjack."
"Who's Blackjack?" asked Scootaloo.
"He's a pegasus in my world. He isn't like pegasus ponies here, he can't talk, and he relies more on instinct, but he's pretty cool. Most demigods can't communicate with pegasi in my world, although befriending them is always easy, if you got what they like, like donuts or sugar cubes. I could communicate with Blackjack, because my dad, Poseidon, created horses in our world, and a power I have from him is to see into the minds of equine creatures and communicate with them. "
"We ponies qualify as "Equine", so that means you can read our minds too?" asked Rainbow.
"No, and I guess it's because, being a pony myself, I don't need to see your mind to communicate with you." I explained. "But I have other powers too. My dad is the god of the seas, so water is my best friend. I can show you later."
"How did you meet Blackjack, Percy?" pressed Scootaloo.
"Blackjack was captured and was planned on being recruited into the Titan Army, until my friends and I set him free. After that, Blackjack became my personal steed and came whenever I needed him. Blackjack will also came whenever any sea creature needed my help, usually in the middle of the night." I said with a sheepish grin.
"It's almost 10. Twilight will be here any minute, so come down to the porch." said Rainbow.
As I landed next to Scootaloo, I noticed a huge pink shape in the distance. Edging closer to the end of the cloud, I realize it's a hot-air balloon.
"Seriously, Twi? You needed to get that thing out just to get up here?" shouted Rainbow, visibly disappointed.
"Nope, that's for everypony else." said a voice behind us. Twilight was there, flapping her wings in an off-tempo trying to stay aloft. After a few seconds, the lavender pony skipped a wingbeat and crashed into the cloud with a soft poof, followed by a burst of laughter coming from Rainbow.
At that point, the balloon, piloted by Pinkie Pie, made a safe landing on Rainbow's front "lawn", and everypony stepped out. Last in line was a pony I thought I wouldn't see here: Annabeth.
"Annabeth? What are you doing here?" I asked, worried. "Shouldn't you be at the library resting?"
"Fluttershy helped fix me up with this really cool healing paste. So far she thinks my leg will be fine in a week. And besides, I just have to see you fly."
"Yeah, well I'm doing pretty good. It just so happens that my flying style matches Blackjack's. Have you tried nectar and ambrosia to help with your leg?" I asked.
"I didn't think it'd be a good idea. We aren't exactly demigods anymore, Percy. What if the nectar and ambrosia causes us to burn up like mortals?" she answered.
"I think it's safe. I was able to use some of my demigod powers this morning. I have all of my water powers here, so who's to say that the godfood won't burn you up? It's worth a shot."
Annabeth hesitated, and, limping towards me, turns so I can get into her saddlebags. After searching through the bag, being very careful not to damage anything (she's kill me if I had), I make an odd discovery. Slowly, I reach into the bag with my teeth and remove a medium ballpoint pen, with a word engraved in bronze on it's side: Anaklusmos. Instantly my ADHD and Dyslexia kick in and translate it for me: Riptide, my trusty Celestial Bronze sword. The problem is: how am I going to wield a sword when I don't even have hands anymore? I can't even uncap Riptide as it is. Then, an idea popped into my head: magic, using magic to uncap the sword, and then keep it as a sword. Annabeth seemed to realize what I was up to, because she didn't even ask when I approached Rarity.
"Rarity, see this pen here?" I started.
"Yes, what about it?" she asked, a little puzzled.
"Could you uncap it with your magic? I cant get it open with my hooves."
The white unicorn nodded, and with a wisp of blue energy, Riptide's cap popped off, instantly turning into a sword.
"Oh, my! A sword disguised as a pen? How ingenious!" exclaimed Twilight, visibly amazed.
I place Riptide on Rainbow's outdoor table, and turn to Twilight.
"This," I point a hoof to the sword, "is my sword, Riptide. It was a huge help to me back home. It's made of Celestial Bronze, one of the few sacred metals that can injure immortal creatures, such as monsters, Titans, or gods. It has no effect on mortals, however." I explain, observing how the liquid rainbows reflected in the blade.
"Hey, quit your lollygagging! We can talk about your sword all you want when the lesson's over!" shouted Rainbow, already in the air, with an impatient look on her face.
"Coming, Rainbow." said Twilight shakily before taking off, and stopping to turn towards the others. "I'm expecting a couple of very important guests who are going to be meeting us here. Keep an eye out for them, okay?"
"Rarity, see if you and Fluttershy can get the nectar and ambrosia in Annabeth's saddlebags, and give her some? It'll help speed up the healing process." I add, before zipping off to catch up to Rainbow and Scootaloo.
We spent the next couple hours flying in all sorts of cool and tricky maneuvers. Scoots started off just watching us, practicing to boost her wingpower, and when she felt confident enough, she joined in on doing all sorts of tricks, like loops, barrel rolls, and nosedive pullouts. After a while, Scootaloo stopped us, and asked Rainbow:
"Could you show us a Sonic Rainboom?"
"Sure, kid. Just gimme a sec to get up high enough." said Rainbow, before flying up high. She turned around, and broke into a sharp nosedive, coming down with incredible speed. Then, just as she passed us, I notice the sharp cone of light and mist, and the sky exploded in a rainbow. I'd seen a few Rainbooms in the show, but never one up close like this. That had me thinking: What happens if anypony else tries to do a Rainboom? Obviously, nopony has done it, so why don't I give it a shot?
"Hold up just a sec." I told Scootaloo and Twilight, before flying up like Rainbow just did. I fly up really high, and, as I stop, I noticed a glittering pond far below, and I get this great idea.
Why not use my water powers to boost my flying powers?
I concentrate, and with a bit of effort to stay airborne, I manage to get the sphere of water level with Dash's Rainboom shockwave. Instantly, I drop from the sky, Flapping my wings as I dive straight down, the wind screeching in my ears. Just as I saw with Rainbow, the sharp cone of light and mist forms around me, and just as I'm about to hit the water sphere, the air around me explodes. The water shapes itself around me, turning me into a water bullet, leaving a double-helix trail of water in my wake. The feeling was undescribable. I felt tired, psyched, revitalized, and empowered, all at once. Then, I noticed Twilight, Scootaloo, and Rainbow all staring at me, an awestruck look on their faces. I fly down to meet them, the water falling away. I quickly catch it all and return it to the pond, before stopping in front of them. Rainbow was the first to react.
"Percy, you just did a Sonic Rainboom of your own!" she exclaimed. "It wasn't really a Rainboom, more like a Waterboom! If you did that at the Cloudsdale Best Flyer's competition, you'd win for sure!"
"Gee, thanks." I said.
"Percy, that was amazing!" said Twilight. "Using your demigod powers and your pegasus flight magic? Absolutely stunning!"
"Yeah, thanks, Twilight." say, Wasn't there supposed to be a couple of guests waiting for you at Rainbow's?" I asked.
"Oh, Celestia! You're right!" exclaimed Twilight. "We'd better get going!" she hesitated, and said to Rainbow: "Class dismissed?"
"Yeah, that's enough for the day. I'm expecting you, same time next week. Percy can come along too, if he wants. Scoots, you're welcome to join in if you want." said Rainbow, before heading back to her cloud house.
It took us a few minutes to get back to Rainbow's, because the flying obstacle course was a ways away from the house. When we got there, It was all in surprise that I found out who Twilight's guests were: Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. We all bowed low, except for Twilight who just placed herself at Celestia's right.
"Rise, my little ponies. Luna and I are on unofficial business today, so we are here as your friends, not your rulers." said Celestia.
"The reasons for our coming are many." said Luna, "But the first and foremost of these reasons was to meet the ponies from another world." she added, looking at me and Annabeth, whose bandages and splint were gone. Guess the nectar and ambrosia finished the job well.
We step forward, and with a light bow, I say:
"Princesses Celestia and Luna. I'm honored to meet you both. My name is Percy Jackson, and this is Annabeth Chase."
" 'Tis a pleasure to meet you too, Percy. We welcome you to Equestria, and you are welcome to stay so long as you keep the peace." said Luna.
"Regardless of the means of your arrival, I'd like to hear more about your world, Percy." requested Celestia.
I told them everything I could think of, I recounted my adventures, told them about the friends we left behind, and the situation we left them in.
"Perhaps you could warn your friends, tell them what became of you two. You said you shared a mental link, an empathy link, you called it, with one of your friends. inform them that you can't return to your world just yet, perhaps they can give you a suggestion."
The empathy link... Grover. Why didn't I think of that sooner? I wasn't sure the empathy link worked from one dimension to another, but it was worth a shot. I concentrated, and after a few seconds, the stream of Grover's thoughts became visible in my head.
Grover? Grover, can you hear me? It's Percy.
Percy? Oh my gods, you're alive! Nico told me what happened, what's Tartarus like? Are you and Annabeth okay?
Whoa, slow down there, goat-man. Annabeth and I are fine. We aren't in Tartarus anymore.
Not in Tartarus? How is that possible? Nico Iris-messaged me as soon as you fell, and that was an hour and twenty minutes ago!
What? Grover, we've been in this alternate dimension for two days now, not just an hour and twenty! Unless... According to my watch, the fall took an hour, and we wandered in Tartarus for about twenty minutes... Until we found the mirror portal, and jumped in. I bet you that time hasn't gone by, if only a few seconds, since Annabeth and I have been in this new world!
Maybe you're right! But what do I tell the others?
Tell them that we're OK, and that we'll try to find a way out as quickly as possible, and meet them at the Doors of Death. Only contact me again if they have something important, got it, Grover?
Yeah. Hey just wondering, what world are you stuck in, anyway?
You wouldn't believe me if I told you. Hint: you forced me to sit through 66 episodes of it, and a movie to boot.
66 episodes... A movie... Wait, you're in Equestria? Oh my gods, Percy, that's so cool!
Yeah, and the Mane 6, and the princesses to boot, are interested in us. We even turned into ponies ourselves. Annabeth's a unicorn and I'm a pegasus, and we still have our demigod powers, along with the pony magic we got. Twilight hasn't taught Annabeth to use magic, yet though. But I got some wicked flying lessons from Rainbow Dash. Now I fly as good as she does. I even performed a Sonic Waterboom!
A Sonic Waterboom? Don't you mean Rainboom?
Nope. A Waterboom is like a Rainboom, but water trails behind me and forms from the shockwave rather than rainbows, because I don't have a rainbow mane. anyway, Grover, keep safe and be sure to contact me if anything important comes up from the others.
Alright, have fun, Percy.
And the link ended.
"Umm, Percy?" said Annabeth. "You okay? You've been sitting there, a blank look on your face, for the past thirty minutes."
"Was I? Weird. Anyway I discovered something neat: we aren't time-restricted. According to Grover, we fell into the Pit an hour and twenty minutes ago. But we've been here for two days, already. An hour and twenty minutes was the time it took for us to fall, and to pass through the mirror portal. Time has hardly passed by in our world, a few seconds at the most. This means we have all the time in the world here to find a way back. I told Grover to keep us posted in case the others discover something important."
Everypony stood there, jaws to the floor, even Luna and Celestia seemed surprised.
"Well, it appears that your time here has just been extended." said Luna. "We can prepare living arrangements for you two here, in Ponyville. You can pick an open lot on the outskirts of town, and submit your blueprints. We'll have your dream home built and paid for, all courtesy of the Royal Family of Canterlot." she added.
Annabeth went right to work, she had Twilight get out her laptop, and place it on the table, next to Riptide. Annabeth immediately tapped through her computer, and with the press of a button, scanned Rainbow's house, and did some plan splicing. By the time she was done, she had put together blueprints for the most awesome pony house ever to be built. Turning the blueprints over to Celestia, she said with a blush on her face:
"I've always wanted to be an architect. I never thought I'd be designing my own house, free of charge to boot."
"This design is intricate, and very elegant. You are indeed a skilled architect, Annabeth. This should take about three months to build, in the meantime you will retain your current living arrangements with Twilight, and you, with Rainbow Dash, Percy." said Celestia.
"Thanks, princess. But how can we repay you for this?" I asked.
"You won't. This is our gift to you, Percy and Annabeth. A welcome gift on behalf of myself, Princess Luna, Princess Twilight, and Princess Cadence. That reminds me, Twilight. Your brother and sister-in-law are happy to announce that they're expecting a foal. A whole party was thrown in their honor yesterday, and they wish you could've been there, but you had other things to do."
"Shining and Cadence are having a foal? Oh wow! That's wonderful! I'll have to congratulate them when I see them in Canterlot, next time I go. I heard that the Crystal Empire elected a leader, and that they weren't needed there anymore. I'm guessing Cadence and Shining are living in the castle?" said Twilight, a delighted look on her face.
"That they are. I'll tell them you said "Hello." when we go back. In the meantime, we have the whole day to enjoy with the eleven of you." added Celestia, acknowledging the Cutie Mark Crusaders as well as the rest of us.
"Before we go," Interjected Rarity, "Percy, may I take your sword? I have a nice design for a scabbard I could make for you. Seeing as you need magic to uncap it otherwise. That way, you can use it in pony form, too."
"Sure thing, thanks Rarity." I said, and turning to Luna, I asked: "So what's the plan, princess?"
"I suggest we split the group in two: those interested in physical activity, with me, and those interested in magic, with my sister." proposed Luna. The little crowd cheered, and parted ways.
Luna, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Applebloom, Scootaloo, and I chose to stick around, while Twilight, Sweetie Belle, Rarity, Annabeth, Fluttershy and Celestia teleported off. Probably to the library.
The rest of the day went by quickly, with all the fun we were having. The most significant activity of the day for us had been, hooves down, a three-pony race between me, Rainbow, and Luna. It turns out that Luna could break the barrier too, as the three of us did it at the same time. Halfway through the race, a Sonic Rainboom, a Sonic Waterboom, and a Sonic Shadowboom seared through the skies of Ponyville, and the gathered crowd went wild. In the end, Luna won the race, with her alicorn's frame, her longer legs allowed her to stretch her hooves past the line before ours. Rainbow and I ended in a tie for second, however. This was definitely the best day I ever had.
Chapter 5 - Magic lessons, and a recurring enemy. -Annabeth
As the day went by, my impression of it being the best day ever was growing. First I wake up to find my leg almost completely healed, then I get to fly in a hot-air balloon, walk on clouds, see an awesome pegasus house, built with complex and modernized Greek architecture, then I get to see Percy, happy and healthy, flying like a pro, only to head off and finish the day by learning about magic with not just one, but two of the four Princesses of Equestria: Twilight Sparkle and Celestia Everfree. Then, I get to see a third princess, Luna Everfree, compete against Percy and Rainbow Dash, only to see them all tear through the sound barrier and light spectrum at the same time.
Celestia had suggested betting on the outcome, putting down ten bits on Luna's victory, Twilight putting fifteen bits on Rainbow's victory via Sonic Rainboom, and I ended up calling the shots, putting down twenty-five bits on Luna winning, Percy and Rainbow tied for second, and all of them breaking through the barriers. As we walked back to the library, a bag containing a grand total of seventy-five bits attached to my saddlebags, I couldn't help but wonder exactly how I had guessed the outcome of the race so accurately. Was it a latent power I had? It was getting dark, and I had actually seen Luna raise the moon, just as Celestia was setting the sun. Maybe getting stuck in Equestria wasn't so bad, after all. Percy said that we had all the time in the world, and I was eager to discover my magical powers. Twilight even said that I reminded her of herself, with a fascination for magic, reading, and general learning. Celestia and Luna had bade us farewell before flying off to Canterlot. She had also left Twilight a quick warning:
"Expect an invitation to Canterlot soon. I am gathering a group of royal figures to attend a small summit, and I wish for you and all seven of your friends to join us."
Everypony went their separate ways for the night, Percy and Scootaloo flying off with Rainbow Dash to her cloud house, Applejack and her sister Applebloom to their farm, Twilight, Rarity, Sweetie Belle, and I to the Princess of Magic's library, my temporary home until my dream house was built. I had told Percy that his entire body would thank him the next morning, especially his wings, but he shrugged and flew off anyway. Typical Percy.
Rarity was about to make her leave with Sweetie Belle, before the filly reminded her of her weekend assignment.
"I have to stay with Twilight all weekend and bring her to school on Monday."
And with that, Rarity bid us farewell for the night, with the excuse of having to design a scabbard for Riptide.
"Just remember, Rarity: Percy is no fan of gems, so don't go overboard on making the thing sparkly." I reminded her.
"But of course, Annabeth dear. I have this wonderful idea, only a couple sapphires, a steel casing, gold thread, and bronze foil! I promise you he'll love it!." replied the white unicorn, with a convinced look on her face, and she was gone.
"Well, we'd better get some sleep. We have all day tomorrow to learn about magic, and Celestia will probably send for us by Tuesday." said Twilight before trotting off upstairs, Sweetie Belle in tow.
The night went almost smoothly. Usually demigods have all kinds of weird dreams, nightmares, mostly. Tonight, I momentarily found myself somewhere else. I was sitting at a large round table, Percy at my left, Twilight at my right. All of Twilight's other friends were there too, as well as Princesses Luna, Celestia, and a pony I could only guess was Princess Cadence, judging by her horn and neatly tucked wings. Other figures sat at the table as well, but I did not recognize them, one was a large, serpentine creature with bits of all sorts of animals for pieces, such as a lion's paw, a dragon's tail, a goat horn, a deer antler, and other parts I could not identify. The five others resembled one another, but I couldn't tell what they were. They looked like ponies, but at the same time they also looked like bugs. The vision faded as quickly as it came.
I woke up the next morning well-rested and ready to learn, despite the weird dream, so I made my way to Twilight's kitchen, where Spike was whistling a lighthearted tune while making breakfast. Hearing my hoofsteps, he turned around, and said:
"Good morning, Annabeth! Sleep well?"
"Better than I have in weeks. What are you making?" I asked.
"Pancakes, with some potato hashbrowns on the side. Twilight's been up for a few minutes now, probably reading something with Sweetie Belle. I'll call you all down when it's ready." said the dragon. I nodded and went upstairs, where I found Twilight brushing her hair, Sweetie Belle curled up in a ball on the bed.
"Sorry, Twilight, am I interrupting something?" I asked.
"Not at all, Annabeth! Sweetie is still sleeping, but food will probably wake her up. I can't wake her in any other way. Wonder how Rarity does it?" she replied. "Anyway, we'd better get started on your magic lessons."
Instantly, the sleeping filly's ears perked up, and she bounced onto the floor, an excited look on her face.
"Well, looks like you figured out how to wake her up." I mused, as we headed down to the library proper. Breakfast was good, Spike had every reason to be proud of himself. Our magic lessons began without much effort, and the first thing I wanted to learn was to manipulate my surroundings.
"Okay, the first thing you need to do is focus on the object you want to move, take this book for example." said Twilight. "Then, picture the book in your head, only floating in the air, a few hooves above the table."
"Okay, but hooves? I'm not exactly familiar with your measurement terms." I said.
"One hoof is six inches." clarified Twilight, hoping I'd understand.
"Okay, an inch, I understand. Back home, we measure in feet, and one foot is twelve inches, not six. So two hooves is a foot." I conclude.
Returning my focus towards the book, I picture it, just as Twilight said.
"To make the magic happen, you need to channel your magic through your horn. To do this, all you need to do is will for it. The more willpower you put into the spell, the more effective it will be. Once you get the hang of it, most magic is based purely on willpower, and you hardly have to use your imagination on easier spells."
Concentrating hard, I feel a spark rise to my horn, a strange, tingly feeling. After a few seconds, a silvery aura envelops both my horn and the book, and the book began rise into the air. Tightening my focus, I picture the book opening, and flipping a few pages, and the real book did so. Magically setting the book down, I look for something else to try my magic on. My attention is instantly drawn to my beloved laptop, resting on Twilight's desk, plugged in to recharge. With magic, I delicately open the lid, and press a few keys, bringing up the blueprints to myself and Percy's future home. I let go of the flow of magic, lightly tired, and look towards Twilight. The alicorn had a big smile on her face.
"You seem to have a talent for magic, Annabeth. It took me days to be able to even flip one page of a book. Then again I was just a filly back then, maybe... six? Seven years old?" she said.
"Weird... I was about that age when I found out I was a demigod. I had run away from home because my stepmom was so intolerant, and my dad couldn't do anything about it."
"What did you do when you ran off?" asked Sweetie Belle.
"I did my best to survive, monsters were always after me, so I kept running. It wasn't long before I ran into other demigods. Thalia and Luke, they were both older than me, and had experience in fighting monsters. They were on their way to some kind of safe haven, when Grover, the satyr Percy spoke to back at Rainbow's yesterday, intercepted us and had us brought to Camp Half-Blood. That last stretch was frantic, but we almost all made it in once piece."
"Almost? What happened?" asked Twilight.
"Just as we crossed the magical border, the monsters pounced on Thalia. The only way we could save her was to turn her into a pine tree. By doing this, we reinforced the camp's borders, a kind of monster-repelling force field, if you will. A few years later, after Percy, Grover, and I came back from our first quest together, Luke betrayed us, he almost killed Percy, and he poisoned Thalia's tree. A few months down the road we set out on another quest, this time to retrieve the Golden Fleece, so we could save Thalia's tree, and even further power the camp's borders. It took a while, but we succeeded. The Fleece had much more of an effect on healing the tree than we thought, though. Not only did it cure the tree, it cured Thalia, who we found sitting next to the tree a few hours later. She looked a little older, but she had hardly aged compared to the rest of us. While nearly seven years had gone by, she looked like she aged about two."
"And what became of her afterwards?" pressed Twilight, eager to know, and apparently oblivious to the levitating objects above her head, despite my horn glowing.
"Thalia came with Percy and I on a little recruitment drive the next winter, where two demigod kids, a brother and a sister, had been spotted by Grover. According to Grover, the two were very powerful, and had already attracted a monster's attention. As it happens, a manticore, named Thorn, had assumed a position in the school's staff under disguise, and had been observing the demigods to see if they'd make good recruits for the Titan Army. That operation was a win-loss for us, while we succeeded in getting the two to camp, thanks to Apollo and Artemis, as well as the Hunters of Artemis, I was captured. Artemis, goddess of the moon and of the hunt, had actually come looking for me, only to be captured by the Titan Atlas as well."
I paused to catch my breath, still holding a cluster of books and moving them about in the air.
"Atlas had been holding the weight of the sky for centuries, before dropping it on Luke as part of a ruse to pin me down. I still believed there was good in Luke, that something was brainwashing him, and then he tricked me into taking the weight of the sky for him. Artemis rescued me from that, and Percy did it too, before tricking Atlas into taking it back."
"Wow, Percy really is something, isn't he? No wonder you like him." squeaked Sweetie Belle.
My face felt a little warmer than usual just then, and I set the book I had been toying with on the table before my embarrassment would cause me to drop it on somepony.
"Anyway, in the end, the three of us went to Olympus, on the day before Thalia's sixteenth birthday, and the gods thanked us for our help. Artemis offered Thalia to join the Hunt, after having lost her favorite lieutenant in the small battle in Atlas's domain. Thalia accepted, and thus never really turned sixteen. She wanted to avoid that, because a Great Prophecy had been made about a child of the Big Three turning sixteen who would make a choice that could save or destroy Olympus. Thalia was a daughter of Zeus, who along with Hades and Poseidon, formed the Big Three. Percy was next in line in turning sixteen as a child of the Big Three, because he's a son of Poseidon. The prophecy read specifically: “
“A half-blood of the eldest gods Shall reach sixteen against all odds And see the world in endless sleep The hero's soul, cursed blade shall reap A single choice shall end his days Olympus to preserve or raze”
I shuddered at the memory of the Prophecy, which gave me nightmares since I was seven.
"The two demigod kids we rescued were actually children of Hades, Nico and Bianca di Angelo. Bianca joined the Hunters prior to the quest to rescue me and Artemis, but died along the way. As I understand it now, Thalia leads the Hunters of Artemis in the goddess' absence, and her brother, Jason, leads my former expedition."
"So did Percy make the choice? What was it?" asked Twilight.
"At the end of the Titan War, Kronos, the leader of the Titans, had taken over Luke's body. On the day of Percy's sixteenth birthday, Kronos faltered, giving Luke an opening to beg us for help. He wanted Percy to give him my knife. That was the choice Percy had to make. In the end, Percy gave him the knife, and Luke used it to kill himself, something he had to do to put a stop to Kronos." I shuddered at the memory of Luke's dying expression.
"Anyway, I suggest we take a break for the day. In case you haven't noticed, Twilight, I've been levitating all sorts of stuff around the room while I was talking. Who knows? Maybe Celestia will send us her message soon..."
I interrupted myself as I remembered last night’s dream.
"Are you alright? You just blanked out for a few seconds. What happened?" asked Twilight, the sound of worry heavy in her voice.
I told them about the dream, also explaining about demigods and their tendency for nightmares, and Twilight's expression darkened.
"What you saw was probably the meeting of sorts that Celestia mentioned last night. The six creatures you didn't recognize were Discord, the newly-reformed Lord of Chaos, thanks to Fluttershy, and five of the six Changeling Queens. I'm going to guess that the one missing was Queen Chrysalis, the head of the only Changeling hive to show open hostility towards Equestria. I visited the other hives shortly after my coronation, and they all deeply regret their colleague's actions. What you saw was perhaps even a War Council of an alliance between Equestria and the Changelings, to take on and destroy Chrysalis' hive."
I shook my head, still dazed by the vision. I could see the future, kinda like Rachel could, and that freaked me out. Rachel was a nice girl, sure, but she was also the host of the Oracle of Delphi, the spirit of prophecies. That meant she would randomly sprout some creepy kind of poem whenever something important was going to happen, only to snap out of it with no memory of the past few minutes whatsoever. On the other hoof, if I could use these visions to help our cause, whatever cause it would be, it'd help guarantee our victory. Twilight mentioned these changelings, but I had no idea what they were. Percy probably knew something. I'd need to have a little chat with Seaweed Brain when he came back.
"How about we take our minds off these more troubling matters for now with a little test to measure your ability with levitation magic?" proposed Twilight.
I nodded in agreement, and waited for her to set me up. Boy, was I surprised. All at once, every book in the library flew off the shelves, and landed in a neat-ish pile. I mean neat-ish because of the way the books are placed, so that they aren't open or prone to damage, but still in a big, disorganized pile. Then, something rose from a drawer behind the reception desk: a stack of gold platelets, each with some words engraved on them. The platelets flew each in their own direction, before lodging themselves at the base of each shelf, magically bolting themselves in.
"Those plaques indicate each category of books. Your assignment is to, with your levitation magic, organize each and every book according to their subject, which is given away by it's title, and in the case of less-clear titles, embroidered in gold on the spine." said Twilight, a spark of challenge in her eyes.
Immediately, I got to work. I started by levitating every book and arranging them in a vast circle, before bringing books one by one to my attention, all the while holding the other books in place. The books I looked at came in all sorts of subjects: Magic, geography, history, science, and entertainment just to name a few. A host of these books were also for leisure reading, such as a whole collection called Daring Do. The titles and cover arts reminded me a lot of my dad's old Indiana Jones movie collection, and the cover of the newest-looking one, titled Daring Do and the Ring of Destiny even had a familiar face on the cover. Stopping the aerial ballet of the books, while still maintaining them in the air, I bring the book to Twilight, and ask:
"Isn't that Rainbow Dash?"
"Sure is. We met the author, Ms. A.K.Yearling, a few days before you got here. Turns out she writes all of her stories first-hand. As in: she is Daring Do. We helped her out when she was captured by a few baddies, and helped her recover an ancient artifact. As a reward, she sent both me and Rainbow an early copy of the book. It's actually supposed to come out in three days. Anyway I already blazed through it, and every single bit she wrote actually happened. She even stars Rainbow as her sidekick, hence the cover. Anyway, shouldn't you be concentrating on your task? I can tell you're doing great just by manipulating all these books the way you do." said Twilight.
"Thanks for the compliment. It's nothing, really, I've always been good at multitasking." I said, before returning to the books. I arranged all thirty-two Daring books in a neat row, going by the numbers on the spines, and set them aside before resuming my task. As I went, I also set aside two or three books on magic, geography and history, for me to read later.
After about an hour, I finally had the books arranged in rows in front and above me, ready to place them in their respective shelves. Apparently Daring's books had a shelf of their own. I finally let go of the flow of magic, my horn feeling a little sore, and turn to Twilight for my evaluation.
"You've done a wonderful job, Annabeth. I believe I’ll give you top score. And my library hasn’t looked this clean in months!” exclaimed the lavender alicorn.
“Thanks.” I said, a warm twinge on my face. It wasn’t every day that a Princess would congratulate you on your efforts. The clock strikes twelve noon, and Spike called out from the kitchen:
“Lunch’s on, everypony! Daisy sandwiches for all!”
Lunch went by peacefully, and the dull ache in my horn eased away as we started drilling Sweetie Belle in the arts of magic. She had learned much from watching Twilight teaching me, but she struggled with her power, having a hard time lifting even a single book. She also proved to be somewhat clumsy, so I had to put my precious laptop away, for fear of watching a stray book crash into it.
By dinnertime, however, Sweetie was able to maneuver five or six tomes with ease, but struggled in moving them individually. Guess she wasn’t a trained multitasker like I was. Then again the organized mind that was my own was probably a gift from Mom, because most Athena demigods aren’t quite so ADHD as others. Dyslexia was still a problem though. Gods was that ever annoying. Spike treated us to a nice, all-vegetarian feast. Meat wasn’t my favourite, but I was probably gonna miss it after a few weeks. I could only imagine what Percy was gonna say when he realized the same thing. Rarity came by later in the evening, carrying a present box big enough to fit Riptide, and a few other things. I toss the white unicorn a quizzical glance, and she said:
“It’s Percy’s sword, it’s new scabbard, and a few other little things he might like. Not to worry: only a few gems were used, sapphires and emeralds, the lot of them. I’m certain he’ll like it. I also came by to fetch Sweetie Belle. As I take it, you’ll be seeing her again in class tomorrow, but in the meantime, she has to prepare her written part at home. Thanks for watching her, girls, I really appreciate it.”
Sweetie Belle trotted over to her sister, and turning to us, she said:
“I had a lot of fun spending the weekend with you guys. Annabeth, could you come to school with Twilight for my class? I can’t decide which one of you two I’d rather take, so I’ll take both of you with me!”
I smiled softly, and replied:
“Of course I’ll be there. You run along with Rarity now, there’s a big day ahead of you tomorrow.” and the filly was out the door.
“Oh, and say hello to Percy for me, will you?” added the white mare, “Good night, everypony.” she said and hurried after Sweetie Belle.
A few dozen minutes passed by quietly, as both Twilight and I had been reading books on magic. Some of the spells listed in the books looked super-complicated, while others seemed relatively easy. I made a personal note to try them out later. Just then, someone knocked on the door, and Twilight hurried over to open up. It was Percy, who despite the smile on his face, I could tell he was in a lot of pain. Serves him right for disregarding my warning. Nevertheless, I ran up to him and wrapped him in a warm hug.
As much as Seaweed Brain could tick me off at times, I couldn’t help but love him more each time. I could feel his shoulders clench when I hugged him, but I held on all the tighter. Looking up to him, all I could see was the smile on his face.
“Hey.” he said. “Hey.” I responded. “Rarity says “Hi.” and she also brought you a present. It’s on the table.” I point to the box the white unicorn had left for him. I smiled when I heard him grunt in pain as he stiffly walked over to the table.
“I told you, your body would make you pay for the rough time you gave it yesterday. You pushed yourself too hard, and now you’re paying the price.” I prodded him.
“Yeah, well how would I know that my pony body has I-don’t-know-how-many extra muscles I’ve never used before? I thought my wings would be sore, but that’s all. Not every single cell in my body.” said Percy. “Besides, I can probably put a stop to the soreness by sitting in a pond for a few hours.” he shook his head and opened the package. Inside was a gem-studded bronze scabbard, Riptide sheathed in it, and what appeared to be a scale mail shirt that could fit a pony like Percy, with holes in the back for his wings. The mail was also studded with sapphires. All in all, it looked stunning, and effective too. The gems glowed with an inward light, indicating that they were probably enchanted.
With my help, Percy slips the mail shirt on, followed by the scabbard. Now he looked like the warrior he had been back during the Titan war. Carefully twisting his neck behind him, he grabs onto Riptide with his teeth and tugs it out of the scabbard. After flailing his head about, swinging the sword to and fro, he positions it, and Riptide slides back into its sheath.
“This is pretty sweet. The scale mail is actually really flexible, so it doesn’t impair my movements, and the scabbard is in just the right spot, so it’s not in the way, but it’s not out of reach either. If ever I’ll need to fight, this’ll come in handy for sure.” he said, obviously impressed with Rarity’s work.
“Well, time for fighting might just be on it’s way.” said Twilight. Percy turned to her, a quizzical look on his face.
“What do you mean?”
I told him about last night’s dream. He obviously took it more seriously than Twilight first had. Being a demigod, he had these kinds of dreams too. As I finished my tale, he paused for a second, thinking.
“Well I had a dream like that last night too. Only I wasn’t in a meeting room with all of you, but in some kind of hive. I’m guessing I was in the changeling throne room, listening in on Queen Chrysalis’ own war council. She mentioned getting revenge on her colleagues for leaving her in the dust, and punishing the ponies who dared defy her back in Canterlot, a few years ago. To be honest I didn’t know there was multiple changeling hives.” explained Percy.
“Only Chrysalis made herself known with the attack on Canterlot. However the other Queens made themselves known to us a few months after the attack, with official apologies to Canterlot for Chrysalis’ behaviour. They even agreed to give us a tour of their hives, which was a fascinating trip by the way. They wanted us to learn as much as possible about changelings for us to reassure our subjects. Only the changelings from Chrysalis’ hive have shown open hostility towards ponies, at the risk of ruining the peaceful reputation of the entire changeling race. Changelings are actually known to live peacefully with ponies. Many towns actually have both races living side by side, with little to no friction between them.”
Twilight paused to think for a second, and continued:
“I’ve personally met a changeling from Chrysalis’ hive who, after the attack on Canterlot, tried to redeem himself. He had been found in the small town of Whitetail Meadows, and nursed to health by a disguised changeling from another hive. I learned from this changeling that Chrysalis actually exerted a form of mind control on her subjects to force them to obey her. Of course some of her subjects wholeheartedly followed her, but not all. Zevan was one of those changelings, until he realized the wrong in her actions. Ever since he was treated and welcomed in Whitetail Meadows, Zevan preferred his self-made pony identity, Whirring Cogs. He even fell in love and married a pony there. From what I hear they’re both happy as can be. Last I saw them they were caring for their newborn foal.”
“So Chrysalis has been forcing her subjects to do her bidding? Talk about plain evil." said Percy.
"I agree. But let's not keep worrying about this subject for much longer. I'm guessing Scootaloo wants you to go to her class with Rainbow tomorrow, Percy?" asked Twilight. Percy nodded in agreement. "Then I suggest we get some sleep, because all three of us are going there tomorrow. Good night, both of you." she added, before trotting off upstairs.
It was just me and Percy, standing there with an awkward silence. I quickly try to break the silence and turn to him.
"Unless you want to fly your sore old flank back to Rainbow's place, you should could come sleep with me." I said. All subtleties were off, either he was there, and I'd have a nice, warm, giant teddy bear for the night, or he'd fly off and get zero pity from me in the morning. All he did was nod, and he followed me to the guest room. The bed was plenty big enough, and the two of us were too tired from the day to try naughty things. Besides, I was planning on saving that for after the our wedding, if there ever was one. That night, dreams never found me.
The day was looking to be an interesting one. Twilight and Annabeth had both been asked by Sweetie Belle to accompany her to the “Meet the pony I look up to.” show-and-tell day at school. The filly’s explanation to why she would bring two ponies with her was because she looked up to both of them equally. While Annabeth had been honored to go, Twilight was already aware of Sweetie’s admiration for her. She also knew the filly had a little crush on Spike, who’s affections unfortunately belonged to her older sister, Rarity. Sweetie had also mentioned that Scootaloo had asked both Rainbow Dash and Percy to go to school with her, which Percy later confirmed. Applebloom, on the other hoof, opted to stick to one pony, her big sister Applejack. Twilight enjoyed the idea of going back to school, even for just a day.
She knew that even though she had nothing left to learn from Elementary School, she would be delighted to help Cherilee teach the foals a few things. Today’s subject was supposed to be the three different factions of Pony Magic, something that Twilight excelled in, especially since she became an Alicorn, who not only had all three forms of Pony Magic, but a fourth one unique to Alicorns. She also believed it was a good idea for Percy and Annabeth to learn a little more about the Pony Magic. Even if they had already gotten quite a bit of knowledge about the subject, Percy especially, it was best for them to add a little more to their intellectual inventory. Rainbow Dash, however was only there to please Scootaloo, and perhaps to recruit new members to her fan club.
*Even if she’s the Element of Loyalty, Rainbow has quite the ego. Perhaps I was wrong in assuming that she and Percy were so similar. Percy is competitive, but he doesn’t rub his superiority in others’ faces. Loyalty may be his fatal flaw, as Annabeth called it, but he’s got much less of an ego than Rainbow. He’s also much less lazy.* Thought Twilight, adding the last part to her train of thought as she saw the demigod pegasus quietly head upstairs, before nodding to the lavender Alicorn.
The morning was bright and early, and both Twilight and Percy had finished chowing down on breakfast, graciously made by the Number One Assistant, when Annabeth had finally made her way upstairs. Her face looked a little grim.
“What’s the matter, Annabeth?” asked Percy, concern fading into existence on his face.
“I had another dream. This time, it looked peaceful enough. I saw us standing in front of a mirror, in a palace made of crystal. The Regal Sisters were there too. Princess Celestia was busy talking to what looked like a human version of herself. She mentioned a portal opening in a week’s time, and that would stay open for another week, before closing for thirty moons.” she replied.
Twilight’s mind immediately snapped back to her impromptu journey to the human version of Equestria. That had only been about a month ago, so there were still about 29 moons to go before the portal would open.
“If you were there, that means that this dream is set in a slightly farther future, Annabeth. I know the mirror you talked about. It’s a portal to another version of Equestria, in which the inhabitants are human. I went to that world some time ago, when my crown, the Element of Magic, had been stolen. The portal closed after I got back, so it’s not supposed to open for 30 moons, which is about two-and-a-half years. Personally I wouldn’t dwell on this dream, Annabeth, because we have to focus on three things: Going to school with the Cutie Mark Crusaders today, making peace with the Changelings, and finding a way back to your world so you can help your friends.”
Percy’s face lit up.
“I remember your adventure to that world! It was portrayed in a film, just after you were crowned at the end of Season 3! What was it called again? Equestria Girls?” then he was silent for a minute, his face turning bright red. “What? Grover made me watch it!”
“And you enjoyed it, Percy.” poked Annabeth. “Anyway, I guess you’re right, Twilight, we should get ready for school.”
“Yeah and let’s not try to get kicked out this time?” added Percy “I dunno about you, Annabeth, but I always had a knack for that when I was a kid.”
“Kicked out of school?” asked Twilight, “What do you mean?”
“Demigods have a hard time not getting expelled from schools.” explained Annabeth. “Because we’re like magnets for trouble, attracting monsters of all sorts like flies to a pot of honey. Often times we get expelled because of the Mist, which masks immortal things from the sight of regular mortals, or modifies what they see to something they would understand. That usually ends up being us demigods causing all sorts of trouble, and we end up getting kicked out as a result.”
“I think it’s safe to say that I’ve been kicked out of at least eight different schools. I’ve never spent more than a year in one school.” added Percy.
“I was luckier, but I got the boot from a good half-dozen myself. Being a child of Athena, I was almost instantly a prime student in any class. I’d get kicked out on more unfortunate circumstances, monsters crashing the party, usually.” said Annabeth.
The discussion was cut short when a light knock came from the door. Twilight hurried over to answer, only to find Rainbow Dash, Sweetie Belle, Rarity, Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Applejack waiting for them at the other side.
“Just a second, girls, we’ll be right there!” said Twilight.
Within a couple minutes the whole crew was off to the Ponyville Elementary School. Percy, Rainbow and Scootaloo took to the air, while the rest of the gang walked. Judging by Percy’s movement pattern, he was still a little sore from his race with Luna and Rainbow, because he was brisk and lacked the elegance he showed a few days before.
Upon arriving at the school, Cherilee eagerly approached the group.
“It’s good to have you over today, Twilight.” she said, with a light bow of her head. “I’m glad you could all make it. But I was wondering, Twilight, if you could help teach with me for today’s lesson? After all you are an expert on Pony Magic.”
“Of course!” the Alicorn eagerly said. “I was actually expecting you to ask me that, so I planned ahead, and gathered some good info to teach the foals.” Reaching into her saddlebags, Twilight presented a small, neat stack of notes she had put together the night before. Cherilee took the notes and flitted through them briefly, eyes widening at the amount of knowledge Twilight could bring to the classroom. The fruits of over a dozen years of studying Pony Magic was written down, and that writing now rested in her very hooves.
“You’d best head to class, Twilight. I’ll ring the bell and we will begin the day.” said Cherilee.
A few minutes later, the foals and their respective idols were seated. Cherilee had to bring in extra desks, which had been amplified in size to fit the older ponies attending the class for the day.
“Good morning, class! I’d call you all “my little ponies” but today, being a rather special day, not all of the ponies here are quite so little.” Began Cherilee. “Before we move onto our lesson for today, it’s time to make your presentations, as assigned last Friday. When I name a student, he or she will come to the front with their important somepony, and will tell us about their weekend. First up: Applebloom.” The yellow filly rose from her seat, Applejack close behind.
“Mah important somepony is mah sister Applejack! She’s the Elemnt of Honesty and most hard-workin’ pony in all of Ponyville! I look up to her ‘cause she’s always so determined, an’ she’s always willing to lend a hoof if y’all need help with somethin’. This last weekend, we harvested our apples together and spent a lot of time on the farm. When Twilight invited us to come to Rainbow Dash’s place to meet Percy an’ Annabeth, an’ to watch Rainbow’s flyin’ lessons, there was no way we could pass up that good of fun time. And boy, was it fun. We even got to spend time with Princesses Luna an’ Celestia! The whole day went great, an’ we don’t regret it one bit!”
The students applauded, and the Apple Sisters took their seats.
The class took their turns in introducing their idols, and then to recount their weekends spent with them. While the whole group had fascinating things to say, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle took the cake (And Pinkie Pie, the cake is a metaphor, therefore, it is indeed a lie.) First came the surprise when Scootaloo brought not one, but two ponies to the front with her, Percy and Rainbow Dash. Scootaloo recounted the events of the flying lesson, as well as details about the Triple Rainboom Race. In the end, Scootaloo explained that she looked up to Percy and Rainbow not only because of how cool they were, but because of their loyalty and how good of freinds they were. Twilight couldn’t help but smile at the filly’s attachment for the older pegasi.
Then came Sweetie Belle’s turn, and once again, she had two ponies instead of one. What amazed the classroom more was that the Princess of Magic herself had shown up for Sweetie Belle. She repeated the process of the other foals, and added that she was really grateful for Twilight and Annabeth helping her finally put her magic to use. Both the lavender Alicorn and the demigod unicorn failed to suppress their smiles. The lesson continued through the day as planned. The highlight for most students being a special lesson from a Princess. Partway though the lesson on Pony Magic, Cherilee called Twilight to the front to elaborate on the types and abilites of Pony Magic.
“It’s a popular belief that there are three kinds of Pony Magic, but the truth is, there are four. The first I want to explain is the obvious one: Unicorn magic. This is the most direct form of magic, as the unicorn channels his or her energy directly through their horn to manipulate their surroundings.”
“The second, although less obvious than the first, is still easily visible: Pegasus magic. Pegasus magic allows them to walk on clouds, to manipulate weather, to fly, and to resist extreme temperatures, especially the cold. Flight magic allows the pegasus to get liftoff. Physically speaking, a pegasus’ wings are much too small to ever achieve proper lift. The nature of flight magic actually allows the pegasus to manipulate their body weight. Theoretically, a pegasus could make him or herself weigh so little, that he or she could walk on water.”
The foals “Oooh’ed” and “Aaaah’ed” in amazement.
“The third kind of Pony Magic is the least visible: Earth Pony magic. Earth Pony magic acually grants greater physical strength and endurance to the pony. However this requires a constant contact with the ground to work. Earth Ponies don’t do well in the air or above water because their hooves aren’t linked to their source of power: the ground. Earth ponies are also know to grow a little taller than other pony types, and to have a natural gift with any kind of plant.”
A filly raised her hoof.
“Yes?” asked Twilight.
“What about the fourth kind of Pony Magic?”
“The fourth kind is the rarest, and most powerful of them all. It is the magic of Alicorns. Alicorn magic is composed of the magic of the three other Pony types. Each pony type contains a hidden parcel. A third of Alicorn magic. This magic will only work when complete. The exact functions of Alicorn magic are still unclear, even to me. The nature of the magic depends on what the Alicorn in question represents: Celestia and the Sun, Luna and the Moon, Cadence and Love, and myself with Magic. What I know of this type of magic is that it's a Divine Magic. That means that no matter what the Alicorn represents, the power that comes with it is something so powerful that no other pony type could possibly dream of replicating. It is however possible for another Alicorn to try. Proof of this was after Nightmare Moon's banishment, Princess Celestia took on the task of raising both the Sun and the Moon." explained Twilight.
"Also, Alicorn magic has a more obvious effect: It amplifies the already-powerful effects of all three other Pony magic types. This is why Alicorns grow so big. Alicorn magic also grants immortality. In our case, this immortality refers to enduring. It doesn't mean that nothing can kill us, just that if we can avoid injuries or sickness, we will go on forever. By all means, the very definition of this power can apply to Percy and Annabeth's world too. Annabeth, if you could take point." she added, beckoning to the demigod unicorn.
Annabeth placed herself next to Twilight, and took a deep breath to calm her nerves.
"In our world, there are the Gods. The Gods are immortal beings much like Alicorns, with a variety of powers in a similar manner. The similarities between our Gods and the Alicorns lead me to guess that if the Gods of Olympus came to Equestria, or if the Alicorn Princesses of Equestria came to Olympus, they would become the other. Gods would take the form of Alicorns, and Alicorns would become Gods. While the Gods look like humans in most every way, this means Alicorns would take on a human form. We demigods possess some of the powers of our godly parents. Percy is an example: Poseidon, God of the Seas, is Percy's father. Percy himself can breathe underwater, manipulate water in almost any way, provoke earthquakes, start hurricanes, and a lot more. These are all powers Poseidon himself possesses." she paused for a second, thinking of what to say next.
"Anyway, that's all there is about the four Pony Magic types." said Twilight before Annabeth could say anything more.
The school bell rang, indicating the end of the day.
The entire class cheered loudly, both foals and older ponies alike. They cheered for both the amazing lesson on magic Twilight had just taught them, and at arrival of the end of the day.
"You really are a natural at teaching, Twilight. I should invite you more often to give a class or two." said Cherilee.
"Thanks. I might actually take you up on that. Anyway, I don't expect homework from anypony on this subject." said Twilight, amused. "I have an important meeting with the Princesses tomorrow anyway."
A few hours later, the group had gathered at the library, and were discussing the events of the day. It was with a certain surprise to the others that Pinkie Pie knew the entire content of the lesson, despite not being there. Her only explanation had been:
"I heard somepony mention Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle taking cake, but when I got there they told me it was a "metaphor" and said that the cake was a lie." Of course, nopony understood what she meant by that, and shrugged it off.
*It's just Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie, I guess.* thought Twilight.
Then the group heard a loud belch, turned around, and saw Spike there, a scroll in his hand.
"Sorry to startle you guys, but a letter just came in from Princess Celestia." he said.
"Well? What are you waiting for? Read it to us, Fax Machine!" exclaimed Rainbow, impatient to hear what the Princess had to say. Percy couldn't help but snicker at the name. Even Annabeth couldn't suppress a smile.
She had explained to Twilight what a fax machine was, and the lavender Alicorn had to agree that the comparison was accurate.
"*Ahem*
Dear Twilight and friends,
The time has come for you all to make your way to Canterlot. War is brewing, and there is much to discuss and much to agree upon with our newest allies. I wish for all six Elements of Harmony to be present, as well and Percy and Annabeth, for they have the right to know of this as well. If their past experience with war is true, then they will be of great help.
When you are ready to go, send me a response, and I will teleport the lot of you (Spike included) to my private audience chamber. I will give you the night to rest in Canterlot. War Council begins at 8:00 AM sharp tomorrow morning.
Sincerely, Celestia, Princess of the Sun "
"Guess that means we'd better get ready." said Percy. "We really shouldn't keep Princess Celestia waiting."
As such, everypony went their separate ways to pack up a few things for their stay in Canterlot. An hour later, the whole group was back at the library, Spike with a scroll ready to send in his hand.
"Alright Spike, send it." said Twilight.
A quick flame and the scroll was gone. Immediately afterward, a golden light surrounded the group, and a second later they found themselves in a completely different room. Celestia was standing by the Sun Throne, and Luna by the Moon Throne. The private audience chamber was smaller than the regular court chamber, which was where Day Court and Night Court, as well as the occasional Dusk Court and Heart Court were held.
Celestia stepped forward, and said:
"It is good to have you all here. Percy, Annabeth, welcome to Canterlot Castle. This is the private audience chamber, where I hold more intimate meetings with important ponies. These ponies are usually foreign ambassadors or good friends whom I value the company. In this case, it's both. Not only are all nine of you friends that I appreciate, but, Percy and Annabeth, you are also, in a way, Ambassadors of Olympus. The nature of this War Council will be a relatively peaceful an hopefully friendly one. We are dealing with changelings on both sides, and I hope to fully secure the aid of the five good Changeling Queens during this Council."
Luna stepped away from her throne before adding:
"We've obviously sought to accommodate you all for your stay here. Rooms have been prepared for each of you, with a few pairings in the mix. Twilight and Spike will share a room, and Percy and Annabeth will share another. Everypony else will have their rooms to themselves. That is, unless you wish to amend the plans. We don't really care, just as long as you're all up and ready for the meeting at 8'o clock. Guards will show you to your rooms, where you are welcome to sit back and relax, or join us for the sunset and moonrise."
A few minutes later, Twilight was comfortably set in to her usual chambers. This room had been hers during her time in Canterlot as a filly under Celestia's wing, and the palace renovations team even went through the trouble of sprucing it up a little after her coronation. Spike had eagerly plopped himself down in his favorite basket and started snoring within minutes. Twilight smiled at the sight. A knock was heard at the door. Opening up, Twilight found Luna standing there, a smile on her face. She said:
"I just wanted you let you know that if you have trouble falling asleep, don't hesitate to head out to the gardens. I will be there, and company is often scarce when I'm in charge, hence at nighttime. A visit would definitely be appreciated."
"I'd be delighted to, Luna. I'll see you later." said Twilight, before the Princess of the Moon continued on her way.
Closing the door, Twilight set herself on the bed, pulled out a notebook and began writing. It was the Diary she and her friends had started writing. She wrote a quick entry on the day's events, and closed the book. Returning the diary to her saddlebags, Twilight decided to take a quick nap so she wouldn't all over while spending the night stargazing with Luna.
When Twilight awoke, the time was just past one in the morning. Being careful not to wake Spike, who was still sleeping, Twilight made her way out of the room, and into the Moon Garden. She quickly noticed that she wasn't alone there. As she expected, Luna was present, along with one other pony.
"Good evening, Twilight Sparkle." said Luna. "Come, sit with us. I made sure the stars were especially visible tonight."
Taking a seat on Luna's right, she recognized the other pony as Percy. The demigod pegasus seemed very interested in the night sky, because he only seemed to notice her when she sat down.
"Hey, Twilight. Came to stargaze too?" he asked.
"Yeah. What got you up at this time of night?" she asked in return.
"I had another demigod dream. It was at War Council, a few hours from now. Somepony came barging in, or rather teleported in right in the middle of the meeting. I couldn't tell what the pony looked like, because Discord was in the way. I even saw myself at the other end of the room. Luna here was the first to recognize the pony but she hasn't told me anything."
Twilight shot the Night Princess a quizzical look.
"Somepony I considered a friend, whom I knew well over a thousand years ago. She disappeared shortly after Discord began his rampage, and was never seen again." the princess explained. Of course she could see Percy's dream, so she most likely saw the mystery intruder, she had that kind of power.
*Maybe I could do the same, if I tried hard enough. But then again Luna never told me how she was able to tune into the dreams of others. Yet another thing I'll have to ask her about when we aren't facing the brink of war.*
"But if it was that long ago, how is this friend of yours still alive today?"
Luna paused for a second, seemingly choosing her words.
"Twilight, do you know the tale of the Lost Princess?"
The younger Alicorn shook her head negatively.
"About two thousand years ago, a young pegasus mare had undergone the perilous task of entering the Tomb of Ancient King, said to have housed the spirit of the First Alicorn King, King Lynotrach, and an artifact that could grant the wishes of the holder."
"Lynotrach? The founder of the First Alicorn dynasty? He was known for the creation of a special stone that was used to make his descendants Alicorns, but it fell into less charitable hooves, and the King took it with him to his own grave, and with his dying breath, cursed the stone to grant one last wish to whoever he would call worthy. They say he even cursed himself in the process, leaving his ghost trapped in the Tomb, waiting for one to come fulfill his Legacy. That King Lynotrach?" exclaimed Twilight, who wore an amazed expression.
"Yes, Twilight Sparkle, the very same King. I had known this pegasus mare for a while prior. She was a competitive flier who was fascinated by magic. She ran a library in Cloudsdale in her spare time. Her performances lead me to believe that the Wonderbolts were in fact, inspired by that mare. Needless to say, I got to meet her on a regular basis, as did my sister. We grew close, and began exchanging theories on magic. At the time, I was personally studying the possibility of Earth Ponies and pegasi being capable of making outward use of their inner magic, perhaps even to replicate what unicorns do every day. It took weeks before we could manage some success. She had managed to channel her flight magic and temperature control in a way that she was capable of summoning her weather power at will. This way, she could manipulate lightning on a whim. After some practice, she was able to manipulate her surroundings as well as any unicorn with her magic. She wielded lightning through her front hooves."
"We went on like this for a few years. She confessed to me that her lifelong dream was to become an Alicorn. She wanted to help protect Equestria, to improve it, to make everypony happy. When she told me about the discovery of the Tomb, I was utterly shocked. This temple had been lost for nearly five millenia, countless generations of archeologists trying to find the temple. The Tomb was sealed with a powerful spell. It required the magic of a Birth Alicorn to open the gate. As it happens, Tia and I corresponded to that requirement. I helped my friend to enter the Tomb, but she refused to tell me what she saw down there, aside from her encounter with the ghost of King Lynotrach. She had apparently been deemed worthy of the stone, for when she returned, she held the stone in her hooves. The King's soul had been laid to rest, and his Legacy now rested on my pegasus friend's shoulders".
"We came to this very spot," Luna pointed to the ground, "and my friend charged the stone with all her power.The stone began to glow, and levitated on it's own. The stone then spoke: "If thou art hearing this, then mine soul has been freed. I am the Legacy of Lynotrach, First King of Alicorn Dynasty. Thou hast been found worthy of the stone's power, and now thou must speak thy wish." My friend simply told the stone, that she wished for Lynotrach's original intent to be fulfilled: for a new Alicorn to rise. The stone then enveloped her in a blinding silver light, and when it dissipated, the stone was gone. It took me a few seconds to notice, but my friend had grown taller, her wings more full, and a horn had sprouted on her forehead. She had Ascended, as she had always dreamed. She was crowned some time later. She had become the Princess of Lightning."
Twilight's eyes widened, but both she and Percy remained speechless.
"Our time together became limited, as she quickly expressed the wish to learn more about the many other races that lived in Equestria. At the time, Changelings had yet to mark themselves as enemies. In fact the relationship we held with them was one of indifference. The Princess of Lightning had expressed the wish to learn more about changelings especially. She went and lived in their hives for a few months. When she came back, a green flame had added itself to her cutie mark, which represented a book and a lightning bolt. I quickly learned that with the time she spent among the changelings, she acquired their magic, the power to shapeshift. She could disguise herself as anything that didn't have the same power. More interestingly, unlike regular changelings, these disguises were real. While she retained all her knowledge and powers, she also became whatever she turned into. She got their strength, physicality, and other traits. Regular changelings' disguises are simple illusions, that have no effect on their environment."
"A few months before Discord turned against us, she spent time with him, trying to learn about Chaos Magic. I don't know what those two were up to all that time, and all my friend wanted to tell me about it was that she couldn't control Chaos Magic unless she had draconnequs DNA. It puzzled me that she persisted despite that fact. When Discord turned, I saw her flee from his power. That was the last I ever saw of her."
"Wait, wait, wait," interrupted Percy, "DNA? You knew of the existence of DNA even two thousand years ago?"
"Well, yes." replied Luna, rather surprised at the demigod pony's reaction. "Why do you ask?"
"Because in my world, DNA wasn't discovered until like a hundred years ago."
"How odd. Anyway, the Tale of the Lost Princess is that simple: The Princess of Lightning's ascension and subsequent disappearance when Discord turned against Equestria." finished Luna.
A faint glow began to peek at the horizon, to the east.
"Oh, my! Has time really gone by that quickly?" exclaimed the Lunar Princess. "I should go, I've got a moon to set." she added, before taking her leave.
Percy blinked a few seconds, apparently unsure of what to say.
"Well that was definitely interesting." Twilight said.
"Yeah, but I still don't get why Luna kept refusing to call this Princess of Lightning by name." Percy grumbled.
"Well she said they were close friends, right? Maybe it's still too painful for her to mention the Princess of Lightning's name." In the distance, a clock struck six tolls. 6 AM, two hours to prepare for War Council. This was going to be interesting.
The meeting began without a minute's delay. Twilight found herself in the exact mental picture Annabeth had drawn her two days earlier. Eighteen figures sat around the table, herself included. Celestia cleared her throat, earning the attention of the whole group.
"I believe introductions are in order. I know this may seem childish, but it's crucial to establish who we all are before we begin. Therefore, starting with me and going from my right all the way around the table, we will introduce ourselves. State your name and an important function you occupy, or another bit of information if you have no occupation. Allow me to begin: I am Celestia, Princess of the Sun."
Luna rose, and said: "I am Luna, Princess of the Moon.
"I am Cadence, Princess of Love."
"I am Shining Armor, Husband of Princess Cadence and Captain of Equestria's Royal Guard."
"Ah am Applejack, the Element of Honesty."
"I am Rarity, the Element of Generosity."
"I'm Pinkie Pie, the Element of Laughter!"
"I'm Rainbow Dash, the Element of Loyalty!"
"Um... I'm Fluttershy, the Element of Kindness."
"I am Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Magic, and also the Element of Magic."
"I'm Annabeth Chase, demigod daughter of Athena, Goddess of Wisdom."
"I'm Percy Jackson, demigod son of Poseidon, God of the Seas."
"I am Narvath, First of the six Changeling Queens."
"I am Akara, Second of the six Changeling Queens."
"I am Formora, Third of the six Changeling Queens."
"I am Orlare, Fourth of the six Changeling Queens."
"I am Dianthia Last of the six Changeling Queens, and I speak on behalf of all five of us."
"... oh? My turn already? Very well then. I am Discord, reformed Lord of Chaos."
"Good! Now that that's settled, Queen Dianthia, as you just said, you will speak for your four colleagues?" asked Celestia.
"I will. We all share the same opinion on this matter. Chrysalis must be put in her place. For the sake of Equestria and the reputation of changelings everywhere. We do not wish for our subjects to be hated and shunned because of her. We must crush Chrysalis to save everything we hold dearly to. With that agreement set, I say we continue with the Council, there is much to discuss."
A brilliant flash lit the room, and there stood a tall, proud Alicorn. Her coat was sky blue, and her mane a little darker, streaked with silver. Her eyes were of a golden yellow. Her cutie mark was a book, with a lightning bolt streaking across it, a large green flame behind the book and the bolt, and a pink cloud raining chocolate overcasting the whole thing.
The Alicorn surveyed the room, and said:
"You didn't expect the Princess of Lightning to miss out on this, now did you? This is a golden opportunity for Ponies and Changelings to come together as one." A green flame cloaked the Alicorn, revealing a truly strange sight.
One of her wings was replaced with a bat wing, a deer antler stuck from the upper-left side of her head, her tail was that of a dragon, her front right leg and hoof had been replaced by a lion's paw, one of her eyes was smaller, of a yellow with no iris, and a red pupil. A fang stuck from the left side of her mouth.
"I am Jetstream Shimmersky, Princess of Lightning."
Jetstream Shimmersky was a young pegasus living in Cloudsdale. While she spent her early years learning to fly, and perfecting that art, another fascination quickly came to her: magic, and reading. Jetstream grew up in a well-off family who proned the happiness of it's members above all else. Jetstream was never spoiled as a filly, but she never lacked any of the necessities to have a happy life.
By the age of fourteen, Jetstream was an incredible flier. She entered competitions which she won with relative ease, and even put on her own shows. Prize bits came in as a regular flow for the young mare, but her true passion remained in reading about magic. At fifteen, she was still a blank flank, which didn't bother her much. It was when she decided to get a job at the Cloudsdale Library that she discovered her special talent. There she sat, tending the library, and passing time with her muzzle deep in Starswirl the Bearded's latest release. A small flash illuminated the room, momentarily distracting the young mare, but thinking nothing of it, she resumed reading until the end of her shift.
It was only the next morning, when her mother watched her lazily step out of her room, that she learned of her cutie mark.
"Honey, have you seen your flank lately?" asked her mother.
"What do you mean?" Jetstream turned to look at her flank. Was it not to her surprise that she find a book as her cutie mark? Letting out an excited squeal, the young mare cheered as she came to the realization that books were her special talent. Her mother and father congratulated her, and her younger brother, who had been starting to hunt his cutie mark with some of his friends from flight school, asked her how she did it.
"Well, I was reading a really good book on magic, and a flash of light caught my attention. Now I know that this was because of my cutie mark appearing!" Jetstream replied to the colt.
"Just remember Jetstream, put on a good show tonight." reminded her father.
* * *
Now nineteen years of age, Jetstream reveled in her happiness. She had a huge financial boost from putting on flight shows, and the Head Book Keeper in the Canterlot University of Magic had recently stepped down. Jetstream had only just dropped off her application for the job, and was on her way to what would be her last show. She had already announced her "retirement" to her fans, who's reactions were understandably negative. Many ponies had even burst into tears in the stands. Others simply kissed their left-front hoof, and raised it to her in a sign of respect. Jetstream herself couldn't help but feel a little sad at the thought of leaving this part of her life behind, but she knew it was for the best. Instead she promised the crowd that she would put on the best show they'll have ever seen from her.
Little did she know, but Princesses Celestia and Luna were in attendance.
Jetstream did her very best to wow her final crowd. She pulled all sorts of maneuvers and tricks.
"And now, for my grand finale! Witness the speed of the fastest pony alive!" she called out to the crowd, her voice magically amplified by a spell a unicorn friend had placed on her.
The fans cheered loudly in response.
Jetstream rose high above the cloud stadium, and with a quick turn of her wings, pulled into a ninety-degree nosedive. The very air around her seemed to scream as she picked up speed. Suddenly, a cone of mist and light formed at the tip of her outstretched hooves. She was almost there. Just a little faster and she would succeed. And then it happened. In a blast of lightning, the very air round her exploded, rippled, shimmered. She had done it. The Sonic Thunderboom had worked. This was a technique she had been working on for years. The crowd went nuts. Cheering and applause from all sides. Jetstream flew about at her new-found speed, leaving a trail of lightning in her wake. When she finally stopped, the crowd cheered more.
"That's the end of it, everypony! I really hope you enjoyed it, because I'm afraid this is goodbye! But don't worry, before I go, I want to establish this: Every passing year, on this day, I want Cloudsdale to play host to a competition. The aim of this competition is to follow in my hoofsteps: To become the most talented flier in Cloudsdale. This "Best young flier's" competition will determine who is the best, and ponies of any age up to twenty can enter. From this day forward, I want you young ponies to put everything you've got into your goals, never give up. I certainly didn't, and look where it got me! I'm a renowned flier, and soon-to-be head Book Keeper of the Canterlot University of Magic!"
The crowd cheered even louder.
"Thank you, everypony! I wish you all the best of luck in the future!" she added, before flying off to her dressing room. Though she wore nothing to her shows, Jetstream found it calming to go to this room before and after every show. The entrance was guarded, so nopony would ever come disturb her, save her parents. However it was not her parents who came to visit her this time, but rather Princesses Celestia and Luna.
"Princesses..." the young mare immediately dropped to her forelegs in a bow.
"Rise, my little pony." said Celestia. "We wanted to congratulate you on your final show, Jetstream Shimmersky."
"Please, just call me Jetstream, Your Highness."
"Then you will call us by name when we speak privately like this." said Luna. "In any other case, you will call us "Princess". We must say we were rather impressed by this particular performance. Breaking the sound barrier and light barrier as you did is no easy task."
"Thank you... Luna." Jetstream nervously replied.
"It hasn't escaped us that you mentioned applying for Head Book Keeper at the University, either. I believe a letter of Royal recommendation is in order." added Celestia.
Jetstream stood there, jaw hanging open. After a few minutes, she finally spoke:
"You... You'd do that for me?"
"Why of course! It's easy to see your dedication for books, especially books about magic! Your cutie mark proves it, and wanting to work for a magical institute only adds to the proof. But tell me, have you found a place to stay in Canterlot?" said Celestia.
"No, not yet." Jetstream sighed. "At the moment I still live with my parents here in Cloudsdale. I was going to ask to live in the dormitories at the University until I found myself an apartment."
"Why don't you come with us?" said Luna. "I may have an idea as to what we can do for you in that regard."
"Shouldn't I pack my things first? Or tell my parents I'm leaving? I may be nineteen now, but my parent's point of view regarding any decisions I'd have to make is still important." said Jetstream.
Celestia thought for a second.
"We can take you home for you to do that, then we can go to Canterlot. I'd actually like to meet your parents, Jetstream." she said. "Oh, by the way, brace yourself."
Before Jetstream could ask why, a brilliant golden flash blinded her, and she snapped out of it, she found herself on the front porch of her parents' house, Luna and Celestia still there.
"Let's go in?" said Luna.
A few hours later, Jetstream had talked to her parents about leaving, and had packed her belongings. Her mother had tears in her eyes, but she smiled nonetheless.
"I'm really proud of the mare you turned out to be, Jetstream. You'll make a fine Book Keeper. I have faith in you. Just promise me this: If you ever meet your special somepony, please come introduce him. A surprise foal and wedding could be enough to give your father a heart attack."
Jetstream laughed.
"Don't worry, Mom. I have no plans to start a family anytime soon. And I doubt I'll ever meet a special somepony. I'm too much of a bookworm for that."
This was probably enough to send her mother into a panic of her own. She wanted grandfoals, yes, but at the same time she had told her own mother before moving away that she'd never get married either. And now she was the proud mother of Equestria's greatest flier, who was also a scholar who earned herself the attention of the Regal Sisters themselves, and of a young colt who would gladly follow his older sister's hoofsteps in the domain of professional flying.
Jetstream wrapped her mother in a warm hug and made her final goodbyes, before stepping out of the house with her luggage. Luna and Celestia were waiting for her by the door.
"Brace yourself." said Luna.
Prepared for it this time, Jetstream closed her eyes. When she opened them, she found herself in a vast garden.
"Welcome to the Lunar Gardens of Canterlot Castle. I have some royal business to attend to before I must set the sun, so I'll leave you with Luna." said Celestia before trotting off inside.
"Your sister seems to be in a hurry." noted Jetstream.
"Well, attending the show put a little dent in her schedule for the day." said Luna.
"What about yours?"
"I'm supposed to be sleeping at the moment. I'm doing what you would call an "all-nighter". Besides, nightly duties are usually very quiet. Most ponies are asleep when I am in charge. Anyway, what Celestia forgot to tell you is this: We want you to stay here, in the castle. We have a suite ready for you to unpack and settle in. The university is only a short flight away, just enough to wake you up every morning, on the way to work."
Decidedly, surprises just kept coming for Jetstream today.
"I'd be honored... But why are you two so generous with me?" asked the young mare.
"To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure what ideas go through the mind of that sister of mine. Personally I believe it's because you have some kind of special gift. Something my sister sees in you that could mean big things in the future." explained Luna.
"A gift? Well I'm a talented flier, and books and magic fascinate me to no end, but to have a power of my own? That would be a dream come true."
"Really? Explain." said Luna, interested to hear what the young mare had to say.
"Ever since I started reading about magic, I've been absolutely captivated by it. It's been my lifelong wish to be able to use magic. I wanted to be an Alicorn so I could help ponies of all races. I wanted to be the one who would help make Equestria a better place to live in. I want to become somepony who can make a difference." Jetstream explained.
"Your mindset is pure. Your ambitions are high, but your ideals are for the greater good. I will help you however I can. Perhaps we can engage in research. That is something you could look through in your new library." Luna suggested.
"That sounds like a great idea!"
Jetstream turned to enter her suite, which she and Luna had stopped in front of as they talked.
"I'm proud to call you my friend, Luna. I really hope we can talk like this more often." Jetstream said.
"As am I. Remember that if ever you find that you are unable to sleep, come find me here. I'm always up for a good chat." replied Luna.
* * *
Two years had since passed. Luna and Jetstream regularly found themselves talking, studying, comparing notes and observations, into the wee hours of the morning. The Lunar Alicorn was a veritable gold mine of information. There was much that she knew, and little that kept her from seeking to know more. In that sense, Jetstream was exactly like her. Luna had turned out to be correct: working at the library at the university definitely payed off. It was on Jetstream's twentieth birthday that she made a discovery.
"There was once a King, in a time far before our own, who had infused a wish-granting power. Lynotrach, the founder of the First Alicorn dynasty. He created a special stone that was used to make his descendants Alicorns, but it fell into less charitable hooves, and the King took it with him to his own grave, and with his dying breath, cursed the stone to grant one last wish to whoever he would call worthy. Apparently he even cursed himself in the process, leaving his ghost trapped in the tomb, waiting for one to come fulfill his Legacy." said Jetstream, reading over her notes to Luna.
The Lunar Princess stood there, a dumbfounded expression on her face.
"This temple has been lost for nearly five millenia, countless generations of archeologists trying to find the temple. The tomb was sealed with a powerful spell. It requires the magic of a Birth Alicorn to open the gate. Thankfully, I've found it. The problem is, I can't use magic to charge the stone."
Luna shook her head, before going on with sharing her own findings for her research. Over the past year, she had been studying the possibility of Earth Ponies and pegasi being capable of making outward use of their inner magic, perhaps even to replicate what unicorns do every day. She had recently made a breakthrough, which she explained to Jetstream. The pegasus grew wide-eyed at the thought that she could use magic.
"It'll take some creativity, but with practice, we'll be able to make this work." Luna added. "Pegasi have a subconscious ability to control weather. I want to bring this forward in your mind, because that might help us. I suggest this: channel your flight magic and temperature control in a way that you would be capable of summoning your weather power at will."
It took a few days before the pegasus met with a result. She felt a numbing jolt in her front hooves as she concentrated, and when she brought them close together, a thin lightning bolt connected them. After a few weeks more of practice, she was able to manipulate her surroundings as well as any unicorn with her magic.
Then one morning, Jetstream approached Luna, who had just finished setting the moon.
"I took the day off work for a few days. Headmaster Silverhorn says I deserved them. Anyway I made the necessary preparations for the journey. All I need now, is you." said the pegasus.
"Me? May I ask, what for?" responded Luna, puzzled.
"The entrance to the Tomb of Lynotrach is protected by a powerful spell, only a Birth Alicorn can open the gate."
"A Birth Alicorn?"
"An pony who was born an Alicorn. The only ones still alive today are you and Celestia, and seeing how your sister is busy with Sun Court, you're the only one I can ask to help."
"I can definitely help you out, but don't you think the Ancient King's descendants would have gotten in at some point?" said Luna.
"It's impossible. King Lynotrach married one of his subjects, with whom he was deeply in love. This unfortunately meant that his foals, and every following generation, would not be born as Alicorns. In order to assure his own succession, he created a powerful artifact, the Focusing Stone. The Stone's purpose was to grant the wish of anypony who could sufficiently charge the stone with magical energy. The King's intention was to have his successors ascend through the Stone, to take the reins of the Ancient Lands. Unfortunately his descendants were subject to greed, and used the stone for other purposes. One of his younger descendants even went so far as to strike back at him with his magic, mortally wounding Lynotrach in the process. It was in his dying moments that the Ancient King sealed his tomb with a spell, that could only be broken by another like him: a Birth Alicorn. He also had cursed the Focusing Stone with a final wish: that he would never find eternal rest until the Stone's power was used one last time, by a pony he would deem worthy to carry his legacy. I'm hoping I can be that pony, for the good of all of Equestria, and for the Ancient King's sake."
Luna simply nodded, and said:
"Pack your necessities, we leave in one hour."
* * *
An hour later, Jetstream stood in the center of the Lunar Gardens, the Princess of the Night had yet to arrive. Jetstream had made sure to pack only what she absolutely needed, including some emergency food supplies, water, a first-aid kit consisting mostly of bandages and a few well-sealed potions and ointments to speed healing. Healing spells were something her magic couldn't do.
Luna obviously didn't know where the Temple was located, but Jetstream did, and Luna could search her mind to teleport them both to the entrance.
"Brace yourself." Luna said.
A flash of darkness enveloped the two mares. They instantly found themselves standing before an imposing structure. The Temple was a huge stone pyramid covered in moss. Before them stood a large gateway, two hoofprints carved at the base, words in a foreign tongue written above the prints.
"This is the part where I need your power, Luna." said Jetstream.
"What do you want me to do?"
"Place your front hooves in the slots on the gate and channel your Alicorn Magic into them." Jetstream explained.
The Lunar Princess approached the gate and placed her hooves in the prints. A deep blue light emanated from them for a minute, and when it dissipated, a loud crack could be heard from the gate. Slowly, the meillenia-old stone doors slid open, revealing the deep darkness of a Tomb that has not seen the light of day, or felt the warmth of sunlight, in over five thousand years.
Jetstream turned to give Luna a big hug.
"Thank you for getting me this far, Luna." she said. "I'll go it alone from here. If I succeed, I'll see you back in the Lunar Gardens with the Focusing Stone at hoof."
She turned towards the darkness, and with her magic, generated a bright sphere of lightning that orbited circled above her head.
"Jetstream!" Luna called out
The young pegasus turned her head to look at the Alicorn.
"Just... Be careful, OK?"
"Will do."
And she delved into the Tomb, the stone doors closing in her wake. This was it, she was alone. Ever so close to her goal, Jetstream couldn't help but feel both excited and nervous. She carefully made her way deeper into the Temple. After about half an hour of walking, the young mare arrived in the first trial room. According to the notes left behind by the Ancient King, the first room contained a riddle. Solving the riddle was the only way to get through. The riddle was engraved in an older dialect of Equish.
"Bring the light of the sleeping bones, But do not awaken the resting drones, Look around thee to see thy fate, For thou art not one who opened the gate."
"The light of the sleeping bones... What's that supposed to mean?" Jetstream asked herself.
She thought about it for a second, pondering the various meanings that "sleeping bones" could have.
"Sleeping bones could mean the dead, but it could also mean literal sleeping. The dead do not see the light, so the darkness is eternal. In the literal sleeping, the light would be the moon."
She then began to ponder the third line.
"To see my fate... Hold on." Jetstream concentrated, and generated two more lightning sphere that took position in key points in the room, to offer a full lighting of the room. All around she saw a crystalline cavern. Ancient glyphs lined the walls. on one side, a picture of an Alicorn reading a large book could be seen. The Alicorn looked like her, only some parts of it were different. This Alicorn wasn't entirely a pony. One of her wings was replaced with a bat wing, a deer antler stuck from the upper-left side of her head, her tail was that of a dragon, her front right leg and hoof had been replaced by a lion's paw, one of her eyes was smaller, of a yellow with no iris, and a red pupil. A fang stuck from the left side of her mouth.
Jetstream stared at the figure for a moment.
"How could this be my fate? Is this what's going to happen to me?" she shuddered at the thought. Choosing to think of something else, Jetstream turned her attention to the riddle once more.
"The resting drones... I wonder what that meant."
As Jetstream turned around, she found herself face to face with... herself?
Another Jetstream was standing right in front of her, wearing an expression identical to her own.
Only one type of creature fit both the idea of a "drone" and who could copy appearances...
"A Changeling? Why here of all places?" asked Jetstream.
"Because I had to see you one last time before I headed back to my hive, my daughter." replied the changeling, before being enveloped in an emerald flame, revealing the form of Jetstream's father, Shining Skies.
"So you can disguise yourself as my dad, so what? Wait... you called me your daughter...what are you trying to imply?"
"My dear Jetstream, I am your father. This is indeed a disguise, but I've always been your father, and always been a Changeling."
"WHAT!?" cried Jetstream, dumbstruck.
"It's true. I am a Changeling, Jetstream. Look into your past and you'll see the signs." He was right. Luna had taught Jetstream how to recognize a Changeling, and her memory of her father didn't lie. Shining Skies was a Changeling, there was no denying it.
"Does... does Mom know?" Jetstream nervously asked.
"Of course. It was Princess Luna who helped us become compatible. She's always kept a close eye on you, from the day you were born."
Something clicked in Jetstream's mind.
"Why are you here, anyway? And how did you even come in? The gate was closed and only Luna or Celestia can open it." asked Jetstream.
"I came to see you, of course, I wanted to help you achieve your goal. Luna was kind enough to open the gate for me. Let me help you, Jetstream."
"This is my quest, Dad. It has to be this way. I'm sorry.” Jetstream said.
Shining Skies looked disappointed, but said nothing.
“One question, though, before you go, Dad.” she added. “What is your base form? What do you look like in changeling form?”
A flash of green flame cloaked Shining Skies, revealing a bug-like pony. Even in Changeling form, Jetstream’s father retained many of his key characteristics. His mane was of the same color and style, and his eyes had remained the same. As it happens, Jetstream herself possessed these same characteristics as well. While she had her coat color from her mother, her silver-streaked mane and golden eyes were from her father. Her manestyle was also identical to Shining’s.
“My changeling name was Nashoba. In the changeling tongue, it meant “Demon trapped in stone”. I don’t know what inspired my caretakers to call me that, but then again I quickly developed my own pony identity, so I gave up that name and opted for this one.”
“Well Dad, I vow to you that someday, while I rule Equestria alongside Luna and Celestia, Changelings will no longer have to resort to disguises to fit in. I will try everything I can to make Changelings become an accepted part of our society. I will create an alliance between the ponies and the six changeling hives, and it will all be for the better.” promised Jetstream before hugging her father, and reluctantly parting with him.
“Don’t forget to put on a good show, honey.” he replied, just like he did before each of her flying shows. That sealed the fact that the changeling walking back up to the gates was indeed her father.
Turning her attention back to the riddle, Jetstream sighed. Nothing had changed, despite the written warning of the second line. However, after giving the riddle a little more thought, it all became clear.
“Shine the light of the sleeping bones... There was no doubt about it, moonlight is what she needed, but how to summon it? Summoning the moon was an Alicorn power, and Jetstream was here to gain those powers, meaning she had yet to acquire them. She took a quick look around, and found a strange gap in the ceiling. Another bit of text was engraved by it.
“The Eternal Moon rests where one must strike. Aim true and it will be night.”
Jetstream concentrated, and summoned a lighting bolt between her hooves. The bolt moved from one hoof to another like a snake. Focusing on her target, the pegasus mare let fly the bolt, which stuck true to the target, causing the stone in the gap to shatter into tiny pieces. A beam of silvery light shot down from the hole, illuminating a pattern on the floor. A distant creaking sound was heard, and the sound of stone sliding on stone caught Jetstream’s attention as the way to the next challenge opened.
Jetstream quickly walked to meet her next challenge, her electric spheres following her. She found herself in a large puzzle room, with big boulders laying in a variety of spots. Another ancient text lined the far wall.
“The stones on thy left are in place, but for thy right, there is no space. Complete the right same as left would be and thou shall see, the next challenge awaits thee.”
“This one isn’t a riddle. It’s a simple instruction to a simple puzzle. I think the point to this is to move the boulders so that the pattern on the right matches the left.”
Thinking a little further, Jetstream realized why this challenge was so different from the previous one.
“The other challenge was designed for one who mastered magic, and who had the intellect that is common in unicorns. This challenge is based on physical strength, with the size of these boulders. This is a challenge built for Earth Ponies, who were much stronger than unicorns. Pegasi also had strength, but that was out of athleticism, flying all the time was just as much of an exercise for the wings as the legs, with takeoff and landing being important to each flight.”
Jetstream flapped her wings and had a good look at the stone placement on the left pattern, and then flew over to the first boulder on the right pattern and began to move it. The effort was much more than Jetstream anticipated it to be, and after placing the third of seven stones, she was exhausted. Instead she resorted to using magic. With her lightning, she created a kinetic field around a boulder, and with it, levitate the boulder to it’s place. She repeated the process with the other two boulders into place. With a loud click, the sealed doors opened and revealed the path to the third challenge.
The challenge room was far more massive than the other two. It was bigger than the Cloudsdale stadium, and there was plenty of room to fly. This was obviously a pegasus-centered challenge. Jetstream looked to the wall for instructions.
“Prove thy worth of wings by breaking the barriers of sound and light whilst passing through the ring.”
“Huh, this one isn’t even in rhyme... Oh well. Anyway, “Breaking the barriers of light and sound?” I wonder if that means a Sonic Thunderboom? That’s probably the best explanation.”
Jetstream immediately got to work. It had been three years since she had last done her Thunderboom, but it wouldn’t have to be a problem, because she still kept the form thanks to flying to and from the university, and the weekly race with Luna.
It took a few minutes to get up to speed, but when Jetstream was ready, she immediately positioned herself to pass through the suspended ring just as she would break the barriers. Turning sharply, Jetstream saw the misty light cone form in front of her hooves and redoubled her efforts. She was met with perfect success, and the ring lit up with a blue and silver light, which connected with the door at the end. The door illuminated and soundlessly opened.
As Jetstream stepped into the room, a luminous warning made itself known.
“The King of the First Alicorn Dynasty awaits thee, champion. Thou must pass a final test: earn the King’s approval and claim the Focusing Stone.”
Jetstream took a minute to process the new information. King Lynotrach’s ghost was waiting for her up ahead. She was so close to her goal. The Focusing Stone was within her reach, all she had to do is vow to the King to fulfill his Legacy.
As she stepped into the final room, the first thing she noticed was the purple glowing gem placed on a pedestal on an altar. That was her goal: the Focusing Stone was right there. The second thing she noticed was a ray of sunlight emanating from a hole in the ceiling. Jetstream slowly approached the stone, her senses on the alert to the possible presence of the ghost of Lynotrach. It was as she was about to touch the stone that the Alicorn King appeared. His golden glowing form shimmered in the darkness.
“O blessed champion, thou hast come far to find this place.” said Lynotrach.
“I have, Your Majesty. I have come to relieve you of your burden. It’s time for the Focusing Stone to be used for it’s one and only purpose. The time has come for Equestria to once again become a true paradise for all.”
“Thou words are truthful. You are honest, Jetstream Shimmersky. I have one more thing I must ask from you before you may take what is rightfully yours.”
“I’m listening, Your Highness.” said Jetstream, eager to take the stone and fulfill her dream.
“I want thee to swear to me that thou will not use this Stone for evil. It has only enough power for one more use, after which it will disappear. I want thou to swear that thou will indeed fulfill my Legacy, and to use the Stone only for good.”
Jetstream expected Lynotrach to ask her something like that. She was more than glad to do it too. She took a deep breath and vowed:
“I, Jetstream Shimmersky, solemnly swear to King Lynotrach that I will make no evil use of the Focusing Stone. The Stone will be used for it’s original purpose. I also vow to release you, King Lynotrach, from the curse you placed on yourself. I wish for you to find eternal rest, and that you once again meet those whom you loved so much on the other side.”
Satisfied, the King floated aside, and said:
“You are well spoken, Miss. Shimmersky. I wish to thee the greatest of success and luck in your future as an Alicorn Princess. Take the Stone, it is yours. I will guide you to the area of your choice, and will remain with the Stone until you use it.” said the Ancient King.
“Then take me to the Lunar Gardens, near Canterlot Castle.”
“So it shall be. Prepare yourself.”
A golden light emanated from the ghostly king, and Jetstream immediately found herself, with the Focusing Stone securely placed in her saddlebags, in the very center of the Lunar Gardens. The shimmering form of the Ancient King floated at her left.
“Jetstream!” cried a familiar voice.
Luna came running towards her, a large smile of on her face.
“Thank goodness you’re alright. When your father told me you chose to go it alone, I was worried sick something bad would happen to you.”
“I’m fine, Luna. Actually more than fine. Princess Luna, meet King Lynotrach. Your Majesty, this is Luna, Princess of the Moon. As I take it she is daughter of your sister, Queen Galaxia.”
The two Alicorns regarded one another for a few minutes. It was Luna who broke the silence.
“It is... an honor to meet you, King Lynotrach. Mother told little of you, but she did say you always acted for the good of your subjects, no matter the cost to you. I am honored to call myself you niece.”
“And I am honored to learn that my dearest sister’s daughters have so well taken care of this kingdom. Equestria appears to be a happy place. This was a wish I had for my own, but alas, it was not to be.” Lynotrach responded.
Jetstream removed the Focusing Stone from her saddlebags and placed it on the Lunar Altar, from which Luna surveyed the dreams of her sleeping subjects.
“Luna, this is the Focusing Stone, this is what I’ve been on the hunt for for the past three years. It’s only got one use left in it, and it’s going to be to free Lynotrach and fulfill his Legacy.”
Jetstream concentrated, summoning as much power as she could muster into her hooves, and unleashed it upon the Stone. The Focusing Stone began to turn from purple to white. Jetstream poured even more power into the Stone, not stopping until the stone was pure white and began to levitate.
Then Lynotrach spoke:
“The Focusing Stone is ready. Touch it and make thine wish.”
The soon-to-be Alicorn did just that. Power radiated from the Stone as she spoke her wish. When she had finished, the Stone’s glow intensified, and Jetstream felt a tingling feeling all over her body. The last thing she saw before losing consciousness was Lynotrach, who had said:
“You have fulfilled my Legacy, I am now free to enjoy Eternal Rest amongst my loved ones. Thank you, Princess Jetstream, and may your reign be a powerful one. You have the blessing of King Lynotrach.” And then he vanished.
* * *
“She’s coming around.” said Celestia.
Jetstream rose from the covers of her bed. Her entire body felt strange. It felt as if she had been suffering for so long, she had forgotten about the pain, and that now the pain was completely gone. She felt alive, strong, and most importantly, she felt complete.
Jumping out of the bed, the new Alicorn immediately stepped up to her full-height mirror. She immediately noticed something new: a horn on her forehead. She continued her self-examination and found that she was almost a foot taller, and her cutie mark was different. A silver lightning bolt crossed over the book that had been her cutie mark since she was fifteen.
A sense of pride filled Jetstream’s heart. She had done it. She had ascended to Alicornhood and was about to be crowned. She wanted to get to her functions and begin ruling as she had promised, but that could wait. For the time being, there were festivities and celebrations to be had, and all these ponies were going to be here to see her. While the idea of having an adoring crowd was nothing new to Jetstream, it was still new to her to be called “Princess”. The coronation was a grand celebration, thousands of ponies had gathered from all over Equestria to attend. At the front row stood Jetstream’s parents, and her brother too. Her mother was crying tears of joy. Her brother was cheering and waving at her. Her father was staring at her, a smile on his face. Next to Shining Skies stood six Alicorn ponies.
Considering there was only three (including herself now) Alicorns alive today, Jetstream suspected her father told his former hive’s Queen about her interest in Changelings, and naturally, all six Changeling Queens would come to the coronation to meet her face to face.
Celestia approached the new princess bearing a chest.
“This officializes you as a Princess of Equestria.” she had said. “It’s your very own regalia. It includes a crown. a brooch, slippers and four matching bracers for each of your legs, to replace the twin bracers you already wear. Each piece is specialized to you. Your royal emblem is engraved upon the brooch, and come in the color that we believe best suited you.”
Using her new-found unicorn magic, Jetstream pried open the chest and found each item Celestia had mentioned. Unlike Celestia’s regalia, which was gold, and Luna’s regalia, which was black and silver, Jetstream’s was green with a golden lightning bolt stamped in the brooch. With a quick spell, she donned her new accessories with pride and excitement. Though she wasn’t the kind of mare who would go head over hooves for some nice jewelry, this regalia was now a symbol of who she was. She turned to the crowd, and raised a hoof. Silence was instantaneous. Then, the new princess said:
“I would like to thank each and every one of you. In one way or another, everypony here has had a part to play in my ascension. Truly, if it weren’t for the love I have for each and every single pony in Equestria, I would not be an Alicorn today. I want to see Equestria prosper for the rest of eternity. I want to defend this wonderful land we all call home, and make it an ever-happy place, I want Equestria to have eternal peace. And I promise to you all that this is exactly what I’m going to do.”
“This is why I am here now. I wanted to become a guardian to Equestria, and now here I am. Listen, everypony, and listen well. My name is Jetstream Shimmersky, and I am the Princess of Lighting! And I swear on the Legacy of King Lynotrach that I will protect you all, no matter the costs!” she cried out to the crowd, which erupted into cheers.
* * *
A month had gone by since the coronation, and Jetstream had gotten used to the royalty life. While the protocol annoyed her a little, she knew it was necessary to establishing herself as a true Princess. Luna and Celestia had taught her much on her new Alicorn powers and she had learned to control the four facets of Pony Magic, she was able to raise the sun and moon, and lower them as well. However, Jetstream had opted for a more fitting role for herself. Becoming a princess had obviously meant she was no longer able to work at the Canterlot University of Magic’s library as Head Book Keeper. Instead, the Princess of Lightning had chosen to become the Head Book Keeper of the Canterlot Archives.
This massive library had always been a sanctuary to her in the three years she had been living there, and now she was in charge of it. This meant she would meet many esteemed authors of every subject possible regarding the inclusions of their works in the Archive. She was particularly interested in meeting the likes of Starswirl the Bearded, who had been one of her favorite spellweavers when she was little.
She was reading an interesting tome about ponies who didn’t have their type’s magic, but rather that of a different pony type. Her favorites were a pegasus who could use unicorn magic though his wings, and an earth pony who could use unicorn magic with her hooves. She had briefly pondered the possibility of a lesser pony type being able to use Alicorn magic, but dismissed it upon remembering the requirements for it. One needed to possess the magical abilities of all three pony types to be able to use Alicorn magic, which was shard magic that was only usable and complete when all three pony magic types came together in one body.
It was that she felt a presence spying on her. Quickly turning towards the source, Jetstream called out:
“I know you’re there. Show yourself!”
A changeling stepped out from among the bookshelves. It was taller than most and wore a crown. What stood before her was one of the six Changeling Queens. Jetstream had a hard time telling them apart, but she managed to identify them fairly well when they wore their hive’s colors, like this one was.
“Queen Dianthia. What owes me the pleasure of your visit?” asked the Princess.
“Oh nothing major, Princess Jetstream. I know you are fond of learning new things, and your interest in us Changelings has not gone unnoticed either. Nashoba was right in telling me about you. We could become close collaborators.” replied the Queen.
Despite the hellish look changelings had, Jetstream could tell that Dianthia’s expression said she meant well.
“You had my curiosity, and now you have my full attention, Queen Dianthia. Please, do continue.”
“Before we go any further, allow me to inform that I am not on official business. Therefore feel free to treat me as a friend. Please, call me not by title, only by name.”
“Right then.” Jetstream said, dropping the formalities. “ What were you saying about this “collaboration” idea, Dianthia?”
“Straight to the point, eh? Allow me to elaborate. You wish to establish friendly relationships between ponies and changelings, correct?”
“Yeah, I do. And you have something in mind that would benefit the both of us?”
“That’s right. I suggest to you this: come live in my hive for a few months. I have a vast library of my own, you know. During your stay you’ll be able to learn many things about Changelings that nopony could ever dream of learning.”
Jetstream was dumbfounded. An invitation to live among the Changelings for a few months? This was a golden opportunity indeed, but how would Celestia and Luna react? What would her subjects think?
"I... I need a while to think about it. Feel free to stay awhile, I should have an answer ready by tomorrow evening." said Jetstream.
The next evening, at dinner, Jetstream found herself in the middle of a small feast. She had told Luna and Celestia about Dianthia's idea and both seemed to agree that it was a good plan.
"The plan would be to have me gone for about five months." Jetstream explained, "While I'm there I'll be learning not only about Changeling society and how their government functions, but also how to tame and control the part of me that is a Changeling. I want to learn to use my changeling powers, for the good of all of Equestria."
The Changeling Queen made a quiet entrance in the royal dining room, and took a seat directly across from Jetstream, to Celestia's right.
"Have you come to a decision, Princess of Lightning?" she asked.
"I have. I'll take you up on that offer, Queen Dianthia. I believe that learning to tap into my Changeling half will help me become a better ruler, more capable of defending my subjects."
"Words well spoken, Jetstream." complimented Luna. "I wish you the best of luck during your stay."
"As do I." added Celestia.
* * *
Four months had gone by since Jetstream had started living in Dianthia's Hidden Hive, in a giant mesa in the San Polomino desert. Every night, Jetstream looked out from the stone balcony of the royal guestroom, and saw the bright lights of the budding city of Las Pegasus, out in the distance. She didn't feel alone, quite the contrary, she'd made plenty of friends among the changelings. Only the very best of the changelings in any hive had the permission to inhabit the Hidden Hive. Dianthia had explained that changelings usually live in colder climates.
"Our main hives are located in the Rocky Mountain range in southwestern Canterda. The cantadians are accustomed to much colder climates, come winter. Snowfalls can range from a few inches, to as much as a dozen feet of snow. Pegasi there actually opted not to control the weather there during the winter, save a few special occasions. Temperature can range from zero centigrade, to as cold as minus fifty centigrade. Summer there is actually very much like Equestria, only a little cooler. Even then, that can vary. Anywhere from fifteen centigrade to thirty-five centigrade, although the mid twenties are most common, when there is no rain." explained the Queen.
"You mentioned that only the elite from any hive can come here, why?" Jetstream had immediately asked.
"Changelings who have earned the esteem of their Queens are given the option to live here. To call it an "elite" isn't really valid. It's more of a small reward for changelings who do not show hostility, open or not, towards ponies. Only a few chose to come live here, the rest often either choose to live among ponies in the many cities of Canterda, primarily Vanhoover, Trotonto, and Mountreal, and others come to live in Equestria, like your father did."
"Which hive did my father belong to?"
"Nashoba, or rather Shining Skies, belonged to Queen Formora's hive. As High-Queen, it was my privilege and pleasure to grant him the permission to live in Cloudsdale. I see it was well worth it. Your father would be proud to see you now, Jetstream. You've almost come to terms with your Changeling heritage."
Indeed, the Princess of Lightning had begun to master the art of the disguise. Another power she had already mastered was to sense the emotions and minds of other living things. This was particularly difficult to pull off with other changelings, because most of them were devoid of emotion, although Dianthia had assured her that it was a choice they made of their own accord. Disguising herself had proven to be a bit more of a challenge. It was impossible for a changeling to disguise themselves as other changelings, to help prevent impersonations and the starting of civil wars between hives. Also, it helped to have a visual image of the creature one would disguise themselves as, resulting in frequent trips to Las Pegasus to practice disguising as various ponies, while under the watchful eye of the High-Queen.
Today's lesson had begun on a more complex note: putting on an original disguise. The goal for this was to have Jetstream disguise herself as a pony who didn't exist, a design entirely based on her imagination. Her initial idea was to return to her pegasus form. Her instructor, a wise changeling named Wellan, had applauded her idea. This disguise would mask her royal identity, but it wasn't exactly an original disguise. Jetstream tried something different. A flash of green flame surrounded her as she took on a new look. Her coat was now lavender, and her mane had grown a little, it was a deep purple with a pink highlight running through it, and her tail was the same. Jetstream had opted for a horn rather than wings, because she hardly used her wings to get around the hive.
(AUTHOR'S INSERT: Yes, Jetstream disguised herself as Twilight, despite the fact that the latter would not be born for another two thousand years.)
The Lightning Princess had obviously kept the form in terms of flying, by heading out for a hour every morning after waking up, and every evening before going to bed.
It was upon resuming her normal appearance that Jetstream noticed something odd. A green flame had added itself to her cutie mark. She showed Wellan her newly updated special talent. All he said was:
"I'm no expert on ponies, but I'm going to guess that your cutie mark represents not only what you like, but in this particular case, both the flame and the bolt mean who you are. The bolt representing your Royal Element, and the flame representing your Changeling heritage."
It was then that Jetstream realized that her time training with Changelings was over, it was time to return to Canterlot. She informed Dianthia of this and gathered her belongings. It was as she was about to leave that Dianthia said:
"Know that you are always welcome among us, Queen Jetstream."
The Alicorn blinked for a second, before replying:
"Queen? Don't you mean Princess?"
"In ordinary times, I'd agree with you, but it is my pleasure that after a quick discussion with the other queens, we have agreed to bestow upon you an honorary status. You will henceforth be know to Changeling kind as Jetstream Shimmersky, Seventh of the Changeling Queens. If you ever happen to be in the area of the Cantadian Rockies, do stop by for a visit, I'm sure any of your new colleagues would be glad to have you."
With those words, the Princess of Lightning teleported with a flash of silver light, instantly finding herself in the Lunar Gardens, next to a mildly surprised Princess of the Moon.
Recovering from her stupor, Luna asked:
"I trust your time with the Changelings went well?"
"It did. I've come in touch with another piece of my destiny. Changeling Magic is now mine to control, which means a whole new league of pranks we could pull on Tia." Jetstream replied with a devious smile.
Luna smiled in the same manner.
A light whistling noise came from above, followed by the overcast of a serpentine shadow lazily passing overhead.
"But first it's time for you to meet Discord, an old friend of Tia and myself."
Hearing his name, the Draconnequs came in for a quiet landing next to Luna.
"Discord, Lord of Chaos, at your service, Princess Jetstream." he said.
"Jetstream Shimmersky, Princess of Lightning, Seventh Queen of the Changelings, at yours, Lord Discord." Jetstream curtly replied.
"Seventh Queen?" asked Luna.
"It's an honorary position," Jetstream added, "because of how happy the Changelings were of having me over. Honestly I think it's because of the trade agreements I'm working on establishing between Changelings and Equestria."
"Fascinating... you master all sorts of magic, don't you?" said Discord.
"It's my goal. I want to be as powerful and knowledgeable to protect Equestria as I can."
"Then perhaps we could explore a more... Shall we say, chaotic, side of magic?" he proposed.
"That sounds like an interesting proposition, I think I'll take you up on that offer, Discord." Jetstream agreed, her curiosity piqued by the idea of possibly using Chaos Magic.
Chapter 7 - A mutant pony princess helps us plan a war. -Percy
So at first, I thought that Annabeth and I got suckered into an episode of the show, maybe the Season 4 finale considering the fact that there might actually be a story here. And then Luna told Twilight and I about this "Lost Princess of Lightning" and I thought, OK either a non-cannon new movie or a lead-on to Season 5? And now, this Princess of Lighting actually shows up, and she's got Draconnequs bits all over her. I guess she got that DNA project done and could use Chaos magic or whatever. Anyway now I'm almost certain that we got sucked right into a piece of fan fiction.
Now don't get me wrong, a fifth princess is awesome, and kinda sad too, considering Luna and Celestia thought she'd been dead for the past two thousand years, but hey, now there are five Princesses guarding Equestria. There's no way the changelings Chrysalis is gonna sic on us are gonna win.
Everypony room stared at Princess Jetstream as she returned to her regular Alicorn from, and took up the empty seat in between Celestia and Discord. Twilight was the first to snap out of it, and she said:
"It's nice to see you again, Princess Jetstream." The sky blue Alicorn nodded in response.
Wait... what? See her again? Twilight was hiding something, and I'd have to ask her after the meeting.
Twilight continued:
"Princess Celestia, what was the first thing you wanted to go over in this meeting?"
"If I may, Princess Twilight, I'd like to propose the first order of business." Jetstream interrupted. "I propose that we discuss the terms of the Pony-Changeling Treaty that was written some time ago, and that needs revising."
Cadence cleared her throat.
"How do you know about this treaty, Princess Jetstream?" the Love Princess asked, a hint of disbelief in her eyes.
"Not only do I know of the treaty, Princess Cadence, it was I, along with High-Queen Dianthia, who wrote and signed that agreement two thousand years ago, just as I was about to leave the Hidden Hive after my five month stay." the Lightning Princess replied. Turning her attention towards the Changeling Queens she added: "As I can clearly see, my disappearance obviously caused the Treaty to not be followed. Here we are, at the edge of an imminent conflict with the very race I was trying to befriend. I've been watching Equestria evolve for nineteen hundred years, and I must say things are going well, despite a few holes in the system."
A wisp of green flame flared in front of Jetstream, and a large scroll appeared in the fire. A silver aura took hold of the scroll and unrolled it. The Alicorn cleared her throat and began reading:
"Royal Lightning Decree No. 1: The Pony-Changeling Treaty.
It is hereby decreed, signed, and agreed upon by the following individuals, Jetstream Shimmersky, Princess of Lightning, and Dianthia, High-Queen of the Changelings, that the following Treaty is to be included in Equestrian Law and in Changeling Law. The Treaty will hold the conditions of the new alliance between the Changeling Nation and Equestria.
Article 1: Immigration and Citizenry
1.1 Changelings who wish to live in Equestria among Ponies will register at the Bureau of Changeling Affairs, in Canterlot. Information they must submit will include:
-Changeling name
-Pony identity name
-Hive of birth
-Pony type
-Pony cutie mark
-Distinguishing features in both forms, for easy recognition
1.2 Ponies who wish to live in the Changeling Nation among Changelings will register at the Bureau of Changeling Affairs, in Canterlot.
1.3 A new law will be established on both sides denying Changelings the right to disguise themselves as existing ponies, unless consent is given by the pony being disguised as.
1.3.1 A tracking spell will be placed on registered Changelings to enforce this law.
1.4 All Ponies and Changelings on either side will be given equal rights in accordance to the Equestrian Charter of Rights.
Article 2: Royalty and Authority
2.1 Citizens of both sides will answer directly to the Three Alicorn Princesses and to the High-Queen of Changelings.
2.1.1 If part of a hive other than the High Queen's, they will also answer to that hive's Queen.
2.1.2 In times of war, the authority of each Queen and Princess will be acknowledged, regardless of hive.
2.1.3 The High Queen and the Princesses' authority outranks that of the other Queens. If given an order by the Queen of one's own hive, only the High Queen or an Alicorn Princess can order otherwise.
2.2 Positions will be made in the Royal Guards of Day, Night, and Lighting for Changelings to occupy. Courses will also be offered for all guards on Changeling recognition.
2.2.1 Positions will also be made so that Ponies may also apply for Hive Guard.
Article 3: War times and Treaty Breach conditions
3.1 In the event of a war, each side is obligated to come to the aid of the other.
3.1.1 This applies only if either side is attacked by an external force.
3.1.2 If one side chooses to attack another country, the the other side reserves the right to assume neutrality.
3.2 In the event of a civil war, the side at peace has the the right to assume neutrality, or to come to the aid of either end of the conflict.
3.2.1 If the civil war is in between two separate Hives, Equestria has the right to decline involvement. Non-involved Hives also reserve this right.
3.3 If either side attacks the other, the Treaty is void until conflicts are resolved. Summits will be made to enable negotiations and diplomacy as necessary.
3.3.1 If less than all six hives are responsible for attacking Equestria, the pacific hives will remain in the Treaty, as will Equestria.
3.3.2 If only one hive is responsible, that hive will be isolated and one of the following options may be put to use:
- Dissolve the hive and divide any pacific inhabitants among the five remaining hives, and Equestria. The offending Queen will be executed for treason.
- Apprehend the Queen of the offending Hive, disowning her of her position and helping in the upbringing of a replacement. The Princess of Lighting, seventh Queen of Changelings, will serve as interim Queen for the offending Hive until a replacement is found.
3.3.3 If the offending Queen is the High-Queen, Article 2 will be void, and proceedings will go according to Article 3, section 3.3.2.
Jetstream paused to let the information sink in, passing the Treaty around for everyone to read it themselves, then she continued:
"I suggest revisions in a few choice areas, such as changing Three Alicorn Princesses to Five Guardian Alicorns."
Twilight cleared her throat, and asked Jetstream:
"Princess Jetstream, if I may, would the term "Guardian Alicorn" refer to all Alicorns living in Equestria, be they royalty or not?"
"An excellent question, Princess Twilight. The answer is yes, all Alicorns, if there were any others, would be included in this, why do you ask?"
"Because in that case, I suggest putting not five, but six Alicorn Guardians." Twilight simply said.
"Wait... what?" I butted in, "Six Alicorns? Celestia, Luna, Cadence, Twilight, Jetstream. That's five, so who's the sixth?"
Jetstream nodded. "I would like to hear this as well, Princess Twilight. Please, do elaborate."
"Oh she's just a filly, but yes, six. The sixth Alicorn is my adoptive daughter, Nyx. She's the reincarnation of the spirit of Nightmare Moon, who decided to take the shape of an eight-year-old filly after we showed her the truth of the world. She gave up on being evil, even if she's still very powerful." Twilight explained.
Oh gods. Nyx? From that one fan fiction I read? I'm definitely in the middle of some crazy fan story, and I'm loving every second of it.
"Very well." said Jetstream, marking the paper with a quill she summoned. "Anything else?"
Cadence spoke up: "Is there any way you could incorporate the Crystal Empire in the treaty? My husband and I ruled there for a little over a year, helping them establish a proper government, and surely they'd be glad to be a part of this."
Jetstream didn't take long to think about it, because her answer came only a few dozen seconds later.
"It can be arranged. I'll make the according modifications to include the Crystal Ponies in the Treaty, but you, Princess Cadence, must be the one to bring this to their attention. Out of everypony in this room, it is you who has the best chance to convince them." The pink Alicorn nodded in agreement.
Celestia stood up, gaining everypony's attention.
"Now that the Treaty matters are settled, we must chose a course of action. Chrysalis has threatened Equestria once again, and according to her threats, she's not alone this time. Discord, you've been a spy for us for some time now, care to give us the details?"
The draconnequs cleared his throat and started talking:
"As far as I can tell, Chrysalis made friends with some pretty evil individuals. Her army's got all kinds of monsters straight out of Tartarus at her command, and she's been talking to herself an awful lot lately. The weirdest part is that whenever she talks to herself, her voice is completely different at times."
"Do elaborate, Discord." pressed Jetstream.
"Why, my dearest Jetstream, would I speak when I can show?" Discord snapped his fingers and an image of Chrysalis appeared on the table. The image came to life and started pacing, when it finally said:
"Why do we delay like this, Dark One? My army is ready and so am I, and my colleagues have abandoned me! It's time to make our move!"
"No. We must wait, for a new ally comes our way. He hails from another world. In his world, he was a powerful being, defeated by trickery, and foiled in his attempts to return to power." replied a deeper voice. It sounded vaguely familiar.
The weirdest part was that it was still the Queen talking, only, with a different voice.
The image faded and Discord added:
"See what I mean?"
Luna nodded, and said:
"'Tis a voice I've not in a thousand years. The evil that seemed to emanate from that voice... It can only come from one unicorn: King Sombra."
Rainbow edged forward, and said:
"Sombra? But didn't we beat him when Spike retrieved the Crystal Heart?"
"Not exactly. All we really did was drive him back. If anything I'm guessing his spirit wandered the frozen wastelands for some time, before coming across Chrysalis." replied Shining Armor.
"And if my guess is correct, they've joined together. This makes Chrysalis even more of a threat. Her power was already enough to defeat most ponies, and with enough love energy, she defeated Celestia. With Sombra's power, she'll be unstoppable." added Cadence.
"Not quite." said Jetstream.
For the first time, Dianthia spoke. Her voice was a lot like Chrysalis' as I heard from the show, only it was calmer, less evil and much more wise.
"I've studied you for five months, Princess Jetstream, and still, I cannot read you. What is in you mind that makes you think we could best Chrysalis now that Sombra has added his power to hers?"
I had to agree. Both Sombra and Chrysalis were powerful on their own, and now that they've fused together, I don't see how we could possibly take them down.
"You forget, Queen Dianthia, that I've not been simply sitting and waiting for two thousand years." replied Jetstream.
"Yes, what HAVE you been doing for two millenia?" asked Luna, her curiosity plainly visible on her face.
"I spent the first two centuries in a transe-like state. As you know, Luna, I originally went into hiding to avoid Discord's wrath. I had to keep away from the chaos that was Equestria or else my new chaotic mind would overload, and I'd most likely end up doing the exact same thing as Discord. After about a week of waiting, I decided to have a look outside, to see if the Chaos had blown over. I was wrong, and that mistake almost killed me."
"Imagine a window breaking. Take that sound, and amplify it a thousandfold. Even then you have but a fraction of the intensity of the sound of your own mind cracking under the assault of a million chaotic thoughts flowing in all at once. I may have stood there for five minutes, unable to muster the force of will to look away. It was a rock falling from an upper edge of the mountain, hitting me in the head, that broke my concentration and allowed me to turn around, and every ounce of willpower to head back inside, lie down, and enter a catatonic sleep."
Ouch. I've felt pain before, but what Jetstream went through was infinitely more brutal that what I ever faced.
"Two centuries, that is what it took to sort out every last thought and clear my mind. Two centuries of fighting with my own consciousness to remain sane. After I awoke, I chose to explore my hiding spot further. I knew I couldn't return to rule, because the memory of Discord's attack was too fresh, even then. The people would not want another creature of chaos to rule them. Along the way, I also came to realize that returning would cause too much grief to Luna and Celestia, who thought me to be dead. It was then that I chose to make that crystal cavern my home."
"As I explored the cavern, I came to discover that it was no vulgar cave, but an entire underground palace. It was the library that stunned me the most. I made the discovery of an ancient language that was spoken thousands of years ago. The Ancient Language of An-Anshar, the land of Creation. It is rumored that this language was spoken by Mother Faust herself as she created all that existed. Any word in the language contains a certain power, the power of control over whatever the word designates. Brisingr, for example, means fire. It's not just a word for fire, it's the word for fire. It is also impossible to lie in this language, trying stops the words dead in their tracks before you can utter them. I discovered a hidden branch of magic associated with the language: Divine Magic."
Divine magic? So a godly power? This was getting interesting, but something nagged at my mind, how could I be sure she was telling the truth? Rainbow obviously thought the same, because she asked:
"How do I know you're not making this up? With all due respect, Princess, I've only just now found out you even existed, so what other things could you be hiding from us? I'm sorry but I don't trust you yet. Give us proof that we can put our lives in your hooves."
"Element of Loyalty, my personal favorite. I can definitely provide you with some proof." Jetstream replied. Then she looked at Twilight and said something in a language I couldn't understand. The words spilled out of her mouth and had a musical effect to them. Twilight's response in the very same language was what shocked everypony the most. Then Twilight turned to the rest of us and said:
"I can vouch for Princess Jetstream. We can trust her, she has sworn her good intentions in the Ancient Language."
The assembly sat quietly for a minute, before Jetstream continued:
"If one masters at least seven of the eight types of mortal magic, they can use the language in conjunction with a flow of magic to manipulate their surroundings. As it happens, I can do just that."
I cleared my throat, and asked:
"Sorry to interrupt, Princess, but what do you mean by "8 types of mortal magic"?"
"The answer is simple. There are eight types of magic that mortal creatures can make use of: Unicorn, Pegasus, Earth Pony, Alicorn, Changeling, Chaos, Harmony, and Shadow. I master all but the last one. Due to my forced Draconnequs nature, my constitution is incompatible with Shadow Magic. A small fix I made later made me able to use it, but only if I absorbed some first."
"How can you absorb magic?" asked Annabeth.
"A few centuries ago, I found a rather interesting spell that would turn my skeleton into a special kind of crystal. The crystal cannot be broken, and any magic that is directed towards me is absorbed by the crystal, storing it's power for later use. If touched by a type of magic I'd never used, I would become able to use it, Shadow Magic being the exception. In that particular case, I can only use as much Shadow Magic as I've absorbed. I became capable of Harmony Magic only just recently, despite the fact that I was the one who discovered it thousands of years ago, upon finding the Tree of Harmony."
She discovered the Elements of Harmony?
"What enabled you to use the power of Harmony?" asked Celestia.
"After the Elements, here present, turned Discord back to stone, I sought to continue my healing work on his mind. My goal was to restore him to what he was before he attacked the first time. Our minds were so intimately linked that we at times melded and couldn't tell who's mind belonged to whom. We were in the middle of one such bond when the Elements freed him, though luckily I was almost done restoring his mind. The power of the Elements surged through the mental link and I was able to absorb it, becoming capable of Harmony Magic in the process."
Jetstream shook her head.
"We're getting off-topic here. What I mean to say is, that with the power of Divine Magic, I can help put a stop to Chrysalis and Sombra, and even be more than a match for them. It is their "ally from another world" that worries me, however. As of late, I've been sensing an immense power rising from Tartarus, subduing the monsters that live there. It has a power signature I cannot place, but it reminds me a little of Percy and Annabeth here, in the sense of where it came from."
I thought about it for a second, then said:
"I can think of a few things that this ally of theirs could be. And all of them incredibly powerful and dangerous. Either some of the oldest, most powerful monsters in Tartarus, our Tartarus that is, or a Titan. I've foiled plenty of Titans a few years back, but the only one who doesn't have a body was Kronos. If he's the one we're dealing with, we're gonna be in a LOT of trouble."
Both Annabeth and I shuddered at the memory of the Titan Lord. He'd caused so much evil during his time puppeteering Luke and plotting to destroy the gods. Dealing with him again, and especially when he'll have a personal vendetta with us for beating him, could mean BIG trouble.
"Considering what you told us about Kronos and the other Titans, than his presence in Equestria does not bode well for the future. Even with Jetstream's Divine power, we will be hard-pressed to defeat the Titan Lord." said Luna.
There was a moment of silence, the air heavy with the tension of impending war, then Celestia broke it.
"Moving on, Discord, do you have any other information of note for us to plan upon?"
"I'm afraid that for the time being, no. I'll keep watching to make sure."
"Then I declare this meeting adjourned." said Luna. "There is much for me to do, despite the fact I'm supposed to be sleeping. Catching up with an old friend is one of those things." she added, looking at Jetstream, who resumed her Alicorn from in a green flash.
* * *
A few hours had gone by, and everypony at the meeting had just finished lunch. I turned to Twilight and asked her:
"You mentioned at the meeting that you had seen Jetstream before. What are you hiding?"
The lanvender Alicorn bit her lip and looked at the Princess of Lightning, who nodded before returning to her conversation with Luna and Cadence.
"I first met Jetstream at Cadence's wedding. She'd been captured along with Cadence and I found them both, along with Jetstream's daughter Screwball, laying there. Our first few minutes together were tense, but we set our differences aside and worked towards a finding a way out. Jetstream had withdrawn from the battle with the Changelings so she wouldn't attract attention to herself and alert Luna or Celestia to her being alive. After the wedding, she invited me to visit her underground crystal palace. It's as beautiful as she described it. I spent months of my spare time going to her library. She even lent me a copy of her translation guide, so I took it upon myself to learn the Ancient Language too. With Jetstream helping me out, I learned it pretty quick, though I still struggle in some aspects."
"Why do you call it the Ancient Language? Doesn't it have a name?" I asked.
It was Jetstream who spoke up with an answer.
"It does, but the name of the Language is unknown. I'm actually busy researching that very subject as of late. In between teaching my daughter the language and looking into it myself, I've not gotten much progress done. I believe that if I find the name of the Language, I'll be able to control it, just like any other Ancient Name for any other object. Does that answer your question?"
I nodded. Suddenly, the sound of hooves clattering on stone came from the hallway, along with a high-pitched giggle. Suddenly a black filly with a deep purple mane and sunglasses came bursting in the dining hall. I immediately noticed her horn and wings.
"Mom!" the filly squeaked, "You're back! When are we going home?"
Twilight smiled. "I still have a few things to take care of with the other Princesses, Nyx, but I promise we'll be back home by the end of the day. Why don't you run along and see Auntie Cadence?"
"Okay!" and she was gone.
I turned to Twilight, and opened my mouth to say something, but she interrupted me.
"Yes, that was my daughter, Nyx. She was staying at my parents’ place for the week to spend time with them. If you'll excuse me, I have to talk to Celestia about a few things."
Jetstream walked up to us and said:
"Would you mind if I brought my daughter to spend time with yours? Now that I'm making my return official I'll be in Ponyville a lot more, and they could be good friends."
Twilight smiled and nodded. "That sounds like an incredible idea! Let's go!" She stopped herself.
"Oh, and I should be congratulating Cadence and Shiny on their foal! So much to do, and so little time..." she added before hurrying off.
Even at the brink of war, Equestria would never stop surprising me.
Screwball had been busy studying as her mother had asked when she received Jetstream's mental summons. The Ancient Language was a very interesting subject and Screwball absolutely adored learning about it. She was busy reciting an Ancient text treating the founding of Equestria when her mother's voice spoke in her mind.
"Use your Chaos Power to come to my location, there is somepony I'd like you to meet."
Jetstream was a kind and loving mother who believed that her child would do best in the world if she learned all she could on everything she could learn about. Intellect was definitely not a problem for the eight-year old filly, who's knowledge rivaled even the professors of the Canterlot University of Magic, thanks to two years of learning and reading the Ancient Language and searching through ever book in the library of the underground crystal palace she now called home.
Screwball had only known her mother for two years, and despite being a princess, she dared not defy Jetstream. Chaos may not be easy to contain, but Screwball had become accustomed to it during her time in the orphanage. It took no effort for the pink filly to teleport in a comical way, this time by turning into pure crystal, melting into the floor, and sprouting as a marble statue next to her mother, before returning to normal. Jetstream wasn't alone. A deep blue pegasus, a baby-blue unicorn, Princess Twilight, Princess Cadence, and a black Alicorn filly stood there. The filly wasn't paying attention, and the two unknown ponies stood there with puzzled expressions.
"Percy, Annabeth, I present to you my daughter, Screwball, Heir of Chaos." Jetstream said.
Screwball had the foresight to get her enchanted reading glasses on before teleporting to her mother. The chaos filly had been picked on in the orphanage many times because of her different eyes. Jetstream had made her those enchanted reading glasses to give the filly the illusion of having normal eyes, with irises of a delicate lavender. The Alicorn filly had sunglasses on, despite being indoors.
*Maybe she's got different eyes like me.* Screwball thought.
"A pleasure to meet you, Screwball." said the pegasus, "I'm Percy."
The filly nodded. Her mother had told her about the two ponies who came from another world.
"You're from a different world, right?" she asked.
"Yeah, but we're stuck in Equestria for some time so we may as well help out." Percy responded.
Twilight stepped forward, the Alicorn filly close behind.
"I'd like you to meed Nyx, she's my adoptive daughter and I'm sure you two could be very good friends. You both have immense powers that we could use someday, but for now you should enjoy the experience of having friends." she said.
"What we mean to say, Nyx, Screwball, is that we, Princess Twilight and I, would like for you to study the magic of friendship for yourselves." said Jetstream
Screwball looked at her mother for a second, and replied in the Ancient Language:
"But Mom, what about my studies in the Language of Creation? If I'm busy studying friendship, finding the Name of all Names will take even longer."
Responding in kind, Jetstream said:
"It was never your task to discover the Name, Screwball. I believe you've already mastered the Language enough to start studying other things. Besides, you are only eight years old, it's time for you to make friends."
"But Mom...
"You don't have the habit of questioning my authority, Screwball-fanëarel. Do as you are told." her mother scolded in Equish. "I want you to start living the life of a foal a little more, and staying holed up in books all your life is not the way to do so. Do I make myself clear?"
The filly dipped her head.
"I understand, mom."
Nyx trotted over to Screwball and extended a friendly hoof, Screwball bumping said hoof with a smile.
"Mom could you take us to Ponyville? I'd like Screwball to meet my other friends too." the black filly asked.
"Of course, just be careful if you go Crusading, please." And with a flash of purple energy, the three of them found themselves in front of a large tree-turned house. A sign engraved Golden Oaks Library hung above the door, and golden plaque underneath read Dusk Court held every Thursday from 4:30 PM to 8:00 PM
"I must return to Canterlot for the time being, there's still a few things I have to take care of. I should be back by the end of the day. Be careful you two, and stay out of trouble."
"We will, Mom!" replied Nyx.
Having regained her high spirits at the thought of an adventure with somepony as special as her, Screwball added:
"Thank you for this learning opportunity, Twilight-Dröttningu. I must ask, though. Could you keep an eye on my mother? She puts on a brave face but deep down she's very delicate. The chaos left deep scars on her mind, I can sense it. She may be strong in body, but her mind is very prone to Chaos Magic."
"I will. You two have fun now!" and the Princess of Magic was gone in a purple flash.
A few minutes of awkward silence hung heavily between the two fillies, before Nyx broke the silence.
"So, uh. I'm Nyx, daughter of Princess Twilight. And you are?"
"Screwball, daughter of Princess Jetstream and Lord Discord. So about these other friends of yours?"
"Right. There's these other three fillies who, just like us, have no cutie marks, and the four of us spend lots of our time trying to earn them. As it happens, the four of us represent each pony race in Equestria. We call ourselves the "Cutie Mark Crusaders"."
"That sounds fun. Think I could join?" asked Screwball.
"Probably. Come with me, I'll take you to our clubhouse."
After about an hour of walking, the fillies arrived at the base of Cutie Mark Crusader operations. Nyx stepped in front of Screwball and said:
"Before we go in and I introduce you to the other Crusaders, there's something you need to know. You can already see I'm an Alicorn, but there's more." Reaching up to her face, Nyx pulled off her sunglasses and stowed them in her saddlebags, faced Screwball and opened her eyes. They were of the same teal color as Luna's, except for her vertical pupils.
"My eyes are the testament to my past identity. In case you didn't know, I'm the reincarnated form of Nightmare Moon. Shortly after my mom and he friends freed Princess Luna from my evil, a cultist named Spell Nexus tried and managed to revive me as a separate entity. It took a while but I snapped out of it and broke free from his control. Mom and her friends helped me out and I saw the light of the life I could live, so I cast a spell to turn myself into a filly, and sacrificed my own power to grow up like a normal foal. That's also why Twilight Sparkle adopted me as her own foal."
Screwball pondered Nyx's confession, and said:
"You told me a secret of yours, it's only fair I tell one of my own. I wasn't born like most other ponies, I was created by magic. According to my mother, I was created from a spark that ignited when she reached out and touched Discord's mind. Not only had that contact, which she did out of love for the person Dad had been before the first attack, but out of concern for what was left of his mind. That means Discord is my dad, just as much as Jetstream Shimmersky is my mom."
"You don't look like your dad..." said Nyx, a little surprised by how open Screwball was being.
"You're not the only one who wears glasses to hide their differences." Screwball replied as she removed her enchanted reading glasses, opening her eyes to let Nyx see the pink swirls that were her wall-eyed pupils. Screwball blinked and smiled as she readjusted to her distorted vision. Seeing the world like this added an air of chaos to her surroundings, something that always comforted the filly when she was worried.
"Your eyes kind of remind me of Derpy." Nyx said flatly.
"Who's Derpy?"
"She's Ponyville's mailmare. Her real name is Ditzy Doo, but everypony calls her Derpy Hooves, a name that she apparently came up with herself. She's wall-eyed just like you, though her pupils don't look like that." Nyx explained.
"The glasses I use are enchanted to set my eyes right when I wear them, which helps a lot for reading. With eyes like these it's impossible to focus on something so close or so small as letters on a page. Plus on the esthetic side the glasses are pretty and make my eyes look normal. I was picked on a lot at the orphanage because of my eyes and my powers." Screwball said.
"You have powers? What kind?"
"I can manipulate Chaos Magic with natural ease, or so my mom says. I can do almost anything Unicorns can with my magic, and more. The best part is that no two spells ever work the same way. I could teleport to a spot, and it would look different from the last time I teleported. For example: When Mom asked me to come to Canterlot to meet you, I turned into a statue made of crystal, which was what the floor was made of, melted into that floor, and sprouted at my destination as a marble statue, because the floors were made of marble in Canterlot Castle, but the time I teleported before that, I fell apart into tiny cubes and reassembled at the place I was going to."
"That sound really cool! I bet the girls will be glad to have you as part of the team!" Nyx exclaimed.
As they walked closer to the clubhouse, voices could be heard, apparently arguing. Screwball couldn’t make out what they were saying, because the Chaos in her head prevented her from focusing, but it looked like Nyx could hear them loud and clear.
“Sounds like they’re debating on something. I think it’s on what to do next to earn our cutie marks. This comes up pretty often, so don’t worry.” the Alicorn filly explained.
The two fillies approached the door and Nyx pushed it open before yelling:
“I hate to interrupt such an important debate, but we’ve got a guest, and a potential recruit! Put the brainstorming on hold and meet the new pony!”
Everything fell silent for a moment, before one of the three fillies, a pegasus with an orange coat and purple mane, said:
“Well whataya waiting for, Nyx? Let them in!”
Nyx stepped aside and Screwball walked into the clubhouse. It looked much bigger on the inside than it did on the outside. The three fillies stared at her for a second, before another one of them, a white unicorn, stepped forward and extended a friendly hoof to Screwball.
“Hi! My name’s Sweetie Belle, and you are?”
Screwball pressed her hoof against Sweetie's.
“I’m Screwball. I’m not from Ponyville, but I travel fast and with my mom back in her job, I’ll be having a lot of free time. Actually she wanted me to study the magic of Friendship and to make friends, so here I am.” shebravely replied.
The third filly, a yellow earth pony with a red mane and a bow, stepped closer to Nyx and, pointing to the orange filly, said:
“That there’s Scootaloo, and Ahm Applebloom. Pleased to meet ya, Screwball. Hope ya’ll can become a Crusader like us, ‘cause it’s really fun!”
Screwball nodded, and Nyx explained:
“Screwball’s mom is a friend of my mom’s. She’s Jetstream Shimmersky, the Princess of Lightning, who had been hiding for the past two thousand years. According to Mom, Princess Jetstream is even stronger than Princess Celestia. Also, Princess Jetstream and Mom actually gave both of us the task of studying friendship, so I thought the best way to do that is to make Screwball a Crusader, considering she doesn’t have a cutie mark either.”
To prove Nyx’s point, Screwball raised her bare flank for the other three to see the cutie mark that clearly wasn’t there.
"That decides it!" said Scootaloo, "All we need to do is get you to swear the Crusader's Oath and and get you your cape!"
A few minutes later, the five of them were gathered and Screwball was taught the Oath, and she began to recite it:
"I hereby swear to work my hardest to find my destiny. My cutie mark is my goal, and when I achieve it, I will help my fellow Crusaders in finding theirs. From now on, I am a Cutie Mark Crusader, and I vow to earn my cutie mark!"
The four other fillies cheered and Nyx stepped forward, a red cloak like the one she was wearing in her magical grip.
"Welcome to the team, Screwball. This is your official Cutie Mark Crusaders cape. We wear these during official gatherings and when we go crusading. Treat it well."
"Now that we have a new member, let's keep up on the debate." said Sweetie Belle.
"I have a better idea." said Screwball. "We'll have a better chance at earning a cutie mark if we have more members. We should recruit one or two more ponies before we start on big crusades."
"That's an excellent idea!" said Applebloom. "But the problem is, who's gonna join us? Most 'o the foals who live in Ponyville either already got their cutie marks or don't wanna join us."
"What about that little colt Sweetie Belle likes? What's his name? Button Mash?" suggested Scootaloo.
"For the love of Celestia, it was just milkshakes, and it was just one time!" exclaimed the unicorn filly, who's face was growing redder by the second.
"Okay, so Sweetie's coltfriend. Anypony else?" asked Nyx.
"Well I DO have this one friend in the town near home that I spend time with a lot. Her name is Wildrose Dreams." said Screwball. "She doesn't have her cutie mark either, and her parents are really nice, so I'm sure they'll let her join."
"Then that settles it! The three of us will go get Button Mash and you and Nyx can go find Wildrose Dreams. Meet back at the clubhouse as soon as you can." said Scootaloo before hurrying off with Sweetie Belle and Applebloom.
Nyx approached Screwball and asked:
"So how do you think you'll get to Whitetail Meadows? That's the town you live by, right?"
"Yep, and as for how we'll go there, we'll teleport. How it'll look though, I have no idea." Screwball replied.
The chaos filly concentrated on her power and willed for herself and Nyx to be in front of Wildrose's home. The result was instantaneous. Screwball placed a hoof on Nyx and another on her own forehead, and the two of them instantly found themselves at their destination. Immediately, a red filly with a yellow mane ran up to them, a big smile on her face.
"Hey Screwy! What brings you here today?"
"Nothing much, Rose. This is Nyx, and she's a new friend I made. She lives in Ponyville and us two and three other foals form this club called the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Like the name says, we crusade for our cutie marks. It's supposed to be really fun, and we're looking for new members, so I thought you'd want to join."
Wildrose bumped hooves with the black Alicorn filly and said:
"Nice to meet you, Nyx. I'd be happy to join! But it's probably a better idea if I asked my mom first. Ponyville is kinda far, Screwy, and even with your powers it could be dangerous."
"I agree. Let's go ask her." Screwball replied.
Wildrose's mom was waiting by the door as the three fillies walked back to the house.
"Screwball, dear, how nice to see you! I thought you were in Canterlot with your mother?" she asked.
"She sent me to Ponyville to make new friends, and I met this group of foals who call themselves the Cutie Mark Crusaders. They let me join them and now we're on a recruitment drive. I was wondering if Rose could join us, Mrs. Dreams."
"Ponyville, huh? Well sure, why not? I remember fussing about my cutie mark when I was your age, and it sounds like a fun idea. Just take good care of Wildrose for me, okay Screwball?"
"Of course I am, honey, that's my job. So who's your friend here?" Mrs. Dreams asked.
"My name is Nyx. I'm the daughter of Princess Twilight Sparkle, ma'am."
"Princess Twilight? Oh my sister told me a lot about how she helped her and her husband out a year ago. Lavender was so grateful for what the Princess was doing for her and Cogs. She even tells me it's thanks to Princess Twilight that they have a foal. Dandelion is such an adorable child. Your mother is a kindhearted mare, Nyx. You must be very proud to be her daughter."
"I am, ma'am. Though she adopted me, I know I couldn't ask for better. Anyway, we'd better get going, the others are probably waiting for us."
"All right then. Rose, get your toothbrush and pajamas, I'll pack you a sleeping bag so you can stay over in Ponyville with Screwball."
"Oh wow, thanks mom!" said the filly, before rushing off to get what she needed.
Screwball and Nyx thanked Tigerlily Dreams and walked out to the front yard to wait for Wildrose.
"Your friend will make a fine crusader, Screwball. Wildrose really seems like the kind of pony who'd like crusading. She's a lot like Applebloom."
"Really? How can you tell?"
"It's this power of mine. I can see the hearts of ponies and other thinking creatures. Wildrose is a lot like Applebloom. I'm not exactly sure why, but I see this huge resemblance between them."
"Maybe we'll find out if we get them to meet." pondered Screwball.
Wildrose ran out the front door with saddlebags and a rolled sleeping bag strapped to them, and caught up with Nyx and Screwball.
"I'm ready to go!" she said.
"Excellent. Screwball, would you do the honors?" Nyx asked.
"Certainly." Screwball replied. She closed her eyes as she willed for a means of getting herself and her two friends back to the clubhouse as quickly as possible. Inspiration came over her and a large zipper appeared in the air in front of her. Grabbing hold of the zipper, she pulled down on it with all her strength, opening a gap in space. on the other side, the clubhouse could be seen, and four ponies staring at the strange sight.
"In here! Nyx, you first."
Nyx calmly walked up to the gap, and hopped through, followed quickly by Wildrose. Screwball closed the small procession and the gap mended itself as she walked away from it. By the time the trio met up with the others, the gap and the zipper was gone.
Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Applebloom had managed to recruit a little brown colt who wore a beanie identical to Screwball's.
The seven of them spent the next hour going over the "formalities" of recruiting the two new Crusaders, after everypony had been introduced, and Button Mash and Wildrose Dreams had joined the ranks of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Sweetie Belle proposed the idea of a sleepover at the clubhouse to celebrate the three newest recruits, much to the enthusiasm of the group.
*Perhaps having friends could prove to be interesting after all.* Screwball thought.
Chapter 8 - Changeling politics, and the Titan ally. -Annabeth
Jetstream's arrival continued to confuse me. Of all the possible times she could've showed up, she chose this one. Not that I'm complaining, quite the contrary actually. Jetstream seemed to be a very noble pony. She had the air of a ruler around her, the way she carried herself, kept her head held high, and the way she addressed all of us, in a friendly but serious tone. What had me the most confused was how she seemed to know Percy and I. The other thing that tickled my mind was the fact that despite the apparent fact that she'd been hiding for the past two millennia, both Twilight and her sister-in-law seemed to know her well enough. Speaking of Twilight, I never knew she had a daughter. I saw photos back at the library of Twilight with a black Alicorn filly, but it never crossed my mind to ask her about it.
Twilight had given me directions to the Canterlot Archives, said to be the biggest library in Equestria. I knew that the Archives wouldn't have many books on Jetstream, but I had a feeling I'd still learn what I needed to know about her if I went there. Jetstream wasn't the only thing buzzing in my mind though. The Changeling Queen, Chrysalis, had apparently been among the most enthusiastic of the six Queens at the idea of the Treaty, according to Queen Dianthia and Jetstream as well. If that was the case, why had she been the one to attack Equestria? Why not Queen Akara, who was the most reluctant to join in?
As I arrived at the Archives, my horn immediately alerted me to an intense magical entity in the vast anti-chamber. It didn't take long for me to find the source: Discord. The Draconnequs was in the middle of a quiet argument with somepony. Twilight had told me that Discord rarely showed any emotions besides amusement, only once had she seen him actually depressed: when Fluttershy threatened to end their friendship if he didn't end the chaos he'd been causing. And yet, the look on the Lord of Chaos' face was that of pure sadness and remorse. I could've sworn I saw tears made of orange juice running down his cheeks.
I recognized the pony he was talking to as Jetstream, who was in her default form, which I now recognized as being part Draconnequs, along with the holes in her hind legs, which resembled those of the Changeling Queens.
"...All-in-all, I'm sorry, dear. I've caused you so much pain because of my carelessness. I really hope we could pick up where we left off. I'm eager to meet Screwball and become an important part of her life." he said.
Wow, sappy. Did Discord and Jetstream have a thing going two thousand years ago?
"No, Discord. It is I who should be sorry. It was my well-being that had you so distracted. Had I reminded you to keep an eye on your own mind, or even tried to care for you as you did for me, none of this would've happened. We'd be happily ruling alongside Luna and Celestia, not trapped in stone or in a cave for two millennia." Jetstream replied, sadness weighed heavily in her voice.
Discord shook his head, regaining high spirits.
"It appears we are at an impasse once again. We both believe that we are solely to blame for the misfortune that befell both of us." A smile crept to his face. "Just like old times." he added.
"Indeed it is. And as usual, I have the solution. We accept partial blame, for we each had a part to play in that ordeal, and we leave it at that. As for our daughter, she's in Ponyville making herself some friends. Don't disturb her yet, there is still much to do here anyway."
"Agreed. And Jetstream? You have no idea how good it is to have you back. Even as a sleeping subconscious in the broken mind of a statue, you were the only thing I could think about. It was a miracle to what was left of my sanity to feel your mind aiding it in recovering for the past eight years. To see you again, face to face, is truly a dream come true." Discord said.
The joy he was expressing was genuine. Piper had told me about how you could tell if the one you loved was telling the truth in three ways: The expression on their face, the sound of their voice, and the look in their eyes. Body language never lied, and even if Discord was way different from a human, it was still easy to read him.
"Oh come here, you." Jetstream said in a playfully annoyed tone. A silver aura surrounded the Draconnequs' head and pulled him down towards the Princess of Lightning, who closed the gap between their faces in what looked like a soft, but meaningful kiss. Upon letting go, Discord reared his head and let out a cry for joy, before disappearing. Jetstream's attention, however, turned to the books on the nearest shelf.
My face felt hot from the romantic scene I had just witnessed, but I pressed forward anyway, intent on having answers to the questions that were boiling in my head.
Without turning around, Jetstream said:
"I was but a teenager when they started making bound books like this, before that, books were written in the form of scrolls. As a matter of fact scrolls are still used to this day, which puzzles me. At least they had the good sense to continue using papyrus, rather than diverting to more extravagant methods like mass deforestation or worse, animal skin."
The last two words came out like she'd eaten something very bitter. I thought she was talking by herself, until she added:
"What about your world, Annabeth Chase? How did humans adapt to change?" she turned to face me, a soft look in her asymmetrical eyes.
“How did you know I was there?” I asked.
“I sensed your power. You have a lot of untapped magic for a simple unicorn, Annabeth. Truth be told, was it not for your demigod heritage I’d say you were hiding something. I take it you witnessed some of that rather… emotional scene?”
I lowered my head shamefully. It wasn’t in my nature to eavesdrop on others, and I felt bad about it.
“Do not look so down on yourself, Annabeth. What you saw was the rekindling of a love that was shared two millennia ago.” said Jetstream, trying to comfort me.
“You guys were together back then?” I asked, curious.
“Indeed we were. To the point, might I add, that Luna and Celestia had been teasing us with questions like “So when’s the wedding?”. Yes, Discord and I had been romantically involved for nearly two years before the troubles happened. You probably overheard what happened that caused us to split up as well.”
I nodded. Discord grew selfless as he spent time with Jetstream and he forgot about his own chaotic mind. That chaos got the better of him and drove him insane, which is when he attacked Equestria, and that attack was what made Jetstream go into hiding in the first place.
“I sense that you have other things to ask me, Annabeth. Go ahead, spit it out.” Jetstream pressed.
“Well, you see I… Oh screw it, why not? The first thing I wanted to ask you was: Why did you choose to appear now, of all times?”
“A simple yet complex question, with a simple yet complex answer.” Jetstream commented. “Actually I was debating on attending this council for months now, ever since I got wind of it. On one hoof, I would be able to finish what I started and bring justice and peace to Equestria, as I had vowed to do so long ago, but on the other hoof, I still feared Luna’s reaction to my return. Celestia’s reaction didn’t worry me, but Luna’s was one I did not want to see again.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, puzzled.
“The initial circumstances of Luna’s transformation into Nightmare Moon were a large buildup of resentment and grief that had accumulated over the years. A large part of that was my own disappearance. Luna and I had been the closest of friends, even before my ascension to Alicornhood. When I failed to come back to her after the troubles with Discord had ended, she had obviously feared the worst: that I had died in the troubles.”
I took a minute to think about it, and understanding was quick to show itself.
“You were afraid that she’d turn back into Nightmare Moon if you simply returned like it just so happens that you did?”
“Precisely. However the council wasn’t supposed to take place until a few weeks from now. I believe that the arrival of Percy and yourself to Equestria has somewhat accelerated the process. As it did with my decision making, for that matter. The presence of demigods from a world so vastly different from ours was something I simply could not resist passing up, so I readied myself to accept my role as Princess of Lightning once again.”
“I’m glad I kept my regalia, which was perfectly preserved over the past two millennia.” she added with a wink.
I smiled. Obviously, royalty in Equestria is a lot more laid back compared to royalty that lived centuries ago back home.
“Surely there was something else you wanted to ask me, Annabeth?” Jetstream asked.
“Well, yeah. It was said at the meeting that Queen Chrysalis had been one of the most enthusiastic of the Queens at the idea of becoming allies with Equestria. If that was the case, then why did she attack it?”
“An excellent question, Annabeth. And one that I’m afraid I cannot answer to a full extent. Let me make this very clear: though I’ve been watching over Equestria for the past eighteen hundred years, I thoroughly neglected to oversee Canterda. It is in the Rocky Mountain ranges of Canterda that the Changeling Nation is established, and because I’ve paid them little to no attention over the past two millennia, I can only speculate what may have happened. If I were to guess, I’d say that Chrysalis attacked Equestria out of desperation and spite. If I recall correctly, Chrysalis’ hive was situated the deepest in the Great Cantadian North, far from Equestria, and from almost any civilization for that matter, save the Crystal Empire that had also vanished for a thousand years.”
“In all honest truth, I can only speculate on what happened among the Changelings that caused Chrysalis to snap and turn on Equestria the way she did. By all means her people may have been starving, due to the obvious lack of pony communities near her Hive, and perhaps she also resented Celestia and Luna for failing to uphold the treaty after I disappeared.”
She paused for a few minutes, apparently thinking of what she wanted to say next.
“I’m afraid I can’t tell you more than that, Annabeth.”
Another voice, older and wiser, came from behind us:
“But I believe I can clarify a few things.”
We both turn to see the Changeling High-Queen Dianthia, in her default form, standing by the entrance to the Archive.
I lower my head in respect, and Jetstream simply said:
“High-Queen Dianthia. What can we do for you?”
“It is not what you can do for me, Princess Jetstream, but rather I for you.” Dianthia walked up to us, and continued:
“I’m afraid that I, along with the four other Queens, all have a part to play behind Chrysalis attacking Equestria. Jetstream’s guess was correct: Chrysalis did it out of desperation and resentment. After your… exile, Jetstream, we Queens grew rather distant from one another, as did the Regal Sisters with us, and us with them. As High-Queen, I neglected my duties to watch over all Changelings, and the result was the northernmost hives suffering from famine and isolation. Chrysalis had on numerous occasions attempted to make the treaty go on, by organizing summits with the Regal Sisters and the other Queens, and even the Cantadian Prime Minister, but to no avail. It’s obvious she grew desperate, as her hives were situated in the Arctic North, at the very edge of the Cantadian Rockies. We all respected the Treaty to a minimum, allowing those of our subjects who wanted to live elsewhere to do so, but nothing more. For two thousand years this went on, until Chrysalis finally snapped and attacked Equestria.”
Wow. That practically answered all my questions regarding Chrysalis. Other, less important questions buzzed in my head, but they could wait. It was Luna, who had just walked into the Archive, who broke the silence that had been hanging heavy on us for the past few minutes.
“I knew I’d find you here, dearest friend.”
Jetstream raised her head and looked at the Princess of the Moon, and said:
“It’s been two thousand years, and still this place brings me solace. I assume you were looking for me, Luna?”
“That I was. If you are not too busy, would you care to take a walk through the Lunar Gardens with me, for old times’ sake?”
“I definitely would. It’s been so long since we’ve spoken, and I owe you some explanation, and apology.” Jetstream replied, before the two Alicorns walked out of the Archive, leaving me alone with the Changeling High-Queen.
“I can sense your mind, Annabeth, and I know there are many other questions plaguing it, many of which I can certainly answer. Speak your mind, and be free of them.” she said.
I thought about it for a second, and asked:
“Could you tell me more about Changelings? Like how your society works and your political system functions?”
“An excellent question indeed. There is much to tell, so we’d best get comfortable.” Dianthia approached a set of furniture arranged around a reading table and took a seat, gesturing towards the seat opposite her. I sat down and sighed in relief. My leg may have been healed, but it was still sore from being immobilized the way it was for the past few days.
The High-Queen began her long speech, explaining how Changelings divided their society in ranks, Drones and Workers at the bottom, Soldiers and Elites at the top, and the Queens and High-Queen above all else. Their structuring reminded me a lot of insects back home, primarily ants and bees. Dianthia then told me how the Hivemind worked.
“It is a special mental link established between a Queen and her subjects, so that she may communicate orders and messages to them instantly. On the flipside, Soldiers can report any unusual occurrences to their Queen in the same way. The lesser Queens are linked in the same fashion to the High-Queen, who, through the lesser Queens, can tune into any Hive at any time. Chrysalis altered the Hivemind of her subjects to force them to fight for her when she invaded, a crime that makes her life forfeit. She has no more power to the Changeling political system than an outsider does now.”
She then explained how their Queens were selected:
“Though it is a little hazy in my mind, the selection of a new Queen is made at the death of the previous one. In this way, our politics closely resemble those of the Cantadian Government, who elect a Prime Minister and a Cabinet to lead the country. We take among the most worthy candidates of the late Queen’s hive, and allow the remaining subjects to elect the one they prefer.”
A little something buzzed in my head, and I asked:
“Would it be possible for there to be a King? Not all of those candidates would have to be female, right?”
Dianthia chuckled, and said:
“We Changelings are gender-neutral. We refer to ourselves as Queens out of tradition, a tradition of which the origin is long-forgotten. As I mentioned before, the practice of electing a new Queen is rare, as we Queens, upon being crowned, gain a longevity identical to an Alicorn’s. As such, we live forever so long as we are not killed by sickness or weapon. The other Queens and I, and Chrysalis as well, have been in power for the past three millennia.”
I was going to ask whether she personally knew Jetstream before the Princess of Lightning’s coronation, until I was interrupted by somepony calling for me from the hallway just outside the Archive.
“Annabeth? Are you here?” called Twilight.
I stepped out from between the shelves, Dianthia close behind and reply:
“Over here Twilight. Looking for me?”
“Yeah, I was just looking for you to tell you that we’ll be staying here overnight, Celestia’s treat. She wants us all to be there for the little party she and Pinkie are throwing to celebrate not only our new alliance with the Changelings,” she nodded respectfully towards Dianthia, “but also to commemorate Jetstream’s return to the Lightning Throne.”
“Alright, thanks, Twilight.” I said, a little giddy at the thought of a party. Twilight’s happy expression faded as she realized something.
“Oh, did I interrupt you two? I’m sorry, Queen Dianthia, I didn’t mean…”
“Worry not, Princess of Magic, Annabeth and I were simply discussing the workings of Changeling society. A subject which, if I recall correctly, you spent a few weeks studying for yourself after you were crowned."
Twilight nodded. “It’s true. After my coronation Queens Narvath and Formora approached me and offered me congratulations. They wanted me to know that not all Changelings were like Chrysalis, and that I was welcome to visit their hives if ever I wanted to know more about them. I set out on a little campaign after spending a couple weeks in Queen Formora’s hive, and began holding seminars in towns all over Equestria to teach ponies about Changelings, and how what they saw with Chrysalis was not what Changelings really were.”
Twilight closed her eyes and smiled.
“It was in the small town of Whitetail Meadows, not far from Mt. Crystal, where Jetstream lives, that I met a Changeling from Chrysalis’ hive. His name was Zevan, and he had participated in the siege on Canterlot. Zevan had explained to me how he had a happy life living in Cloudsdale, and when his Queen called him to battle, he felt like he had no other alternative. He also told me how he ended up in Whitetail Meadows. Cadence and Shining Armor’s love blast knocked him all the way to the flower fields near the town, and badly injured him on landing. He had just enough time to assume his pony persona, a pegasus named Whirring Cogs, when a unicorn mare came by and saw his distress.”
“At first Zevan feared me, because I was a Princess, but I made a deal with him. If he helped me in my seminars, as a live example, I’d help him and his new wife. He’d actually fallen in love and gotten married in the year that he spent in Whitetail Meadows. And to the very same unicorn mare that had found him, broken and battered, no less. Her name was Lavender Dreams. Where Cogs’ wing suffered from nerve damage, Lavender’s horn was broken because of a stunt she tried pulling as a teenager.”
“I offered to heal them both, though it cost me a lot of energy. I also helped them go through the same channels as Jetstream’s parents, for them to have foals of their own. The last time I saw Cogs and Lavender, they had only just welcomed the arrival of their first foal.”
I D’awwed in my head at the thought of a baby pony.
Dianthia walked towards the entrance, and said:
“There are matters with my own people that I must attend to. I’m sorry I couldn’t prolong this conversation with you, Annabeth, for I quite enjoyed it.” I nodded as the High-Queen left the Archive, and turned to Twilight.
“Where’s your daughter?” I asked.
“Nyx is in Ponyville with Screwball, who is Jetstream’s daughter, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Jetstream and I gave our daughters the task of discovering the magic of friendship for themselves.” she replied, a satisfied smirk on her face. Her expression grew serious as she added:
“On the other hoof, Percy mentioned Kronos back at the Council. He also said something about Kronos being here, in Equestria. For the safety of us and everypony, could you tell me more about him?”
Oh gods. Here come the bad memories. Luke, Silena, Beckendorf, Bianca, all the other demigods who died in the Titan War.
"It's... something I don't like to talk about." I said. "A lot of demigods that I cared about died in the Titan War, all because of Kronos. But I'll tell you what I can."
I took a deep breath and started talking.
"The Titans were the youngest of the three races born to Gaea the Earth and Ouranos the Sky, after the Hekatonkheires and the Cyclopes. All were detested by their father, but he both feared and hated the elder children so much that he imprisoned them in the abyss of Tartarus, which was itself deep within the Earth. Enraged, Gaea got pregnant and told her remaining children to avenge their brothers and overthrow their draconian parent. Kronos was the boldest of the siblings and, initially, only he would agree to help his mother. Using a scythe fashioned by Gaea, he sliced Ouranos into a thousand pieces and claimed his supremacy over the universe."
"During his reign, Kronos would usher in an era of peace and prosperity for the Titans, and took his sister Rhea as his bride and queen. His rule would also see the genesis of mankind and be called their 'Golden Age'. However, Kronos abandoned his imprisoned siblings to their fates out of the belief that they would only pose a threat to his authority. "
Twilight's eyes widened.
"Wow, you only just started talking, and I can already tell how cruel of a monster Kronos was."
I nodded and continued:
"At the height of his power, Kronos was warned by Gaea that he would be supplanted by his own child just as he had usurped his father long before. Determined to avoid this fate, he decided to swallow his children alive so that they could never overthrow him. Rhea pleaded with Kronos to spare their children but with no success. Kronos' wife eventually gave birth to a sixth and, of their union, final child on Mount Ida, and deceived her husband into devouring a stone swaddled in cloths instead, after getting him drunk. This sixth son would be called Zeus."
"Kronos had only a single, brief affair, which resulted in the birth of Chiron. When Zeus grew to adulthood, he infiltrated his father's palace on Mount Othrys and slipped an emetic into the Titan Lord's drink which forced him to disgorge Demeter, Hades, Hera, Hestia, and Poseidon, who had been growing undigested in Kronos' stomach, being gods. Kronos' children quickly declared war against him and eventually triumphed. Kronos was dismembered into thousands of pieces by Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades who used the very weapon that Kronos had used on Ouranos. His pieces were cast into Tartarus, where they stayed for thousands of years."
I started shaking a little as I got to the part my friends and I had been involved in.
"Knowing of the resentment between demigods and their godly parents, Kronos decided to use this to his advantage and find a follower willing to oppose the gods. Kronos found this follower in Luke Castellan, a son of Hermes, who had begun questioning the Olympians ever since his father "abandoned" both him and his mother. After seeing our friend Thalia being turned into a tree, this questioning turned to resentment and hatred, which made him a perfect ally for Kronos. The evil Titan King contacted Luke in his dreams and manipulated him to his cause, ordering him to steal the Master Bolt and the Helm of Darkness, the legendary weapons of Zeus and Hades respectively, which would start a civil war amongst the gods as both Zeus and Hades would blame Poseidon because his son, Percy, was living in New York."
Twilight's expression shifted from horror, to sympathy, to confusion.
"I know you told me a bit about your world, but a lot of your terms still confuse me, Annabeth. Some of your cities sound like ours, and yet they're different." she commented.
"Funny, I thought exactly the same thing when you told me about Equestria." I poked back. "Anyway, long story short, Kronos used Luke to raise an army of demigods and monsters to overtake Olympus. With every demigod recruited, Kronos and the other Titans would become stronger. After a few years, Luke finally brought over enough demigods to revive Kronos, but at a price: Kronos would have to inhabit Luke's body for a while, until his strength became complete. At that point, Kronos would burn Luke away and rise again at his full power. Luckily, Percy and I were able to stop him and allow Luke to regain control long enough to kill himself, and cause Kronos to scatter. At first, we thought that would be the end for him, but apparently what we thought was Kronos being spread so thin, was because most of him was actually crossing the portal into the Equestrian Tartarus. If what my mom told me is true, and history really does have a habit of repeating itself, then we'll be fighting the Titan War all over again, only this time, Percy and I are the only ones who know Kronos, and we're both ponies now."
Just as I finished talking, light footsteps could be heard coming our way, followed by a familiar voice calling:
"There you are, Twilight! Thought I'd find you here, and Annabeth too!"
We both turned to the source of the voice, only to find Spike standing by the doorway. The little dragon looked a little tired, but altogether happy to see us.
"Let me guess, you slept in?" said Twilight.
Spike lowered his head and mumbled: "Yeah..."
"What time?"
"9:30..."
My eyes widened.
"What? 9:30? You call that sleeping in? I always got up around that time when I didn't have school! Sleeping in would be more like, I don't know, eleven?"
Spike looked at me with a grateful look, but Twilight was just scandalized.
"Eleven o'clock?! That's crazy! That would involve so much schedule work just to get everything done in a day!"
"Typical Twilight. I'm a fan of being organized too, you know, but you take being organized to the next level."
"That she does." Spike agreed. "Triple-checking the checklists, which means re-double checking them as well. It's almost like a paradox, only after we reach five or six extra checks, we run short on time and move onto the next thing we have to do."
"Oh, hush Spike. You're exaggerating."
"I doubt that. Even as a filly you were like that, Twily. I bet you got it from Mom too." said Shining Armor, who had just walked in.
"Shiny! What brings you to the Archive? I thought you hated this place."
"Still do. Bad memories, Spike, bad memories." he replied, raising his hoof so it was level with Spike's head.
"Hey, I feel ya." the little dragon said, pounding the stallion's hoof with a clawed fist.
"And before I forget, Princess Celestia and Cady are waiting for you at the private audience chamber. Percy also told me to tell Annabeth that he was gonna go fly with Rainbow for a while, and that he'd be back by dinner."
Twilight and I both nodded. I guess it was back to business for us.
Jetstream had confided with Luna only an hour before. Prior to the feast Celestia had promised, Jetstream made it her duty to fetch her daughter and that of the Princess of Magic, and their new friends and bring them to attend the feast with their older siblings. She also made a brief return to Altur'Rang to fetch her regalia and don it. The crown fit oddly around her deer antler, and one of the slippers wouldn't fit her lion paw, so she placed it in her old saddlebags, along with some hygiene necessities for herself and her daughter before locating Screwball and teleporting.
As she emerged from the silver light of her magic, the first thing Jetstream noticed was the surprised the looks of not five, but seven foals standing before her. Screwball stepped forward and asked in the common tongue:
"Mom? What are you doing here? And why are you wearing those?"
"I am once more the Princess of Lightning, Screwball-fanëarel. I have to wear my regalia now. Anyway I'm here to bring you and your new friends to Canterlot. Princess Celestia is throwing a little party and wanted you all to come along. But first, why not introduce them?"
Screwball looked to the six other Crusaders and said:
"This is my mom. I told you guys about her already, so why don't you come say hi?"
"I'm Scootaloo, and Rainbow Dash is my honorary big sister!"
"Ah'm Applebloom, and Applejack is mah big sister!"
"I'm Sweetie Belle, and Rarity's my big sister, and Princess Twilight is my mentor!"
"I'm Nyx, and Princess Twilight Sparkle is my mom!"
"I'm Button Mash, but nopony in my family is big and important."
"And I'm Wildrose Dreams! My mom's cousin is married to a Changeling, and he helped Nyx's mom teach ponies about them!"
Jetstream looked at the the red filly with interest, before asking:
"Aren't you that filly Screwball likes to spend time with in Whitetail Meadows? So you're related to Zevan... interesting." Jetstream turned to her daughter with a quizzical expression.
"She is. As a matter of fact, the seven of us planned to spend the night at our clubhouse. Rose already told her parents she'd be spending the night with me, and Button told his mom too. As for the rest of us, the ponies who take care of us are all in Canterlot."
Jetstream observed the seven foals, smiled, and assumed her Alicorn form, before putting on her fourth slipper and readjusting her crown.
"Very well. I'm certain Celestia will be happy to have you all as guests. Everypony gather around, I'm going to cast a spell to take us all to the Lunar Gardens."
The foals huddled around the Princess of Lightning and a brilliant golden light shone as Jetstream recited in the Ancient Language:
"Kveykva waíse iet gata! Taune nosa eom du Sviëlt abr du Noctästi!" Lighting be my passage! Take us to the Garden of the Moon!
The divine power took hold and when the light subsided, Jetstream and her seven charges found themselves standing next to the Lunar Altar. The foals all looked around curiously, save Screwball and Nyx.
"Welcome to the Lunar Gardens. I trust your travels went smoothly?" asked Luna as she approached the group.
Button Mash and Wildrose Dreams bowed immediately, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Applebloom waved at the Lunar Princess, who responded in kind, and Nyx and Screwball stood still next to Jetstream.
"The trip was brief, Luna. Divine power is efficient and it's energy cost much lower than regular magic in this kind of situation. If your sister doesn't mind, they'll all be joining us at the feast tonight."
"I see. Very well then, you are all welcome to stay as long as you like, but try not to break anything." Luna's gaze shifted to the three original Crusaders, who all blushed and looked away nervously.
Nyx ran ahead and called to the others:
"Come on! I know plenty of spots where we could Crusade!" and the foals were gone.
Jetstream turned to Luna and said:
"I have an idea that I'm sure Tia would like to hear. Is she busy?"
The Lunar Princess shook her head.
"No. She's in the private audience chamber, most likely with her former protégé. Let's go find her." A few minutes of silent walking later, Luna remarked:
"You look great in your regalia, Jetstream. Few were the occasions in which I saw you with it."
"Thank you. I must say it feels much more... shall we say, appropriate, for me to wear it now than it did two millennia ago. However, it doesn't fit quite right if I assume my default form. My lion's paw is too big for the slipper and my deer antler leaves little room for the crown to be placed properly. I'm surprised the bat wing has no effect on the chestpiece." Jetstream removed her crown and front-right slipper, and placed the latter in her saddlebags before assuming her default appearance, and placing her crown on her head as it as before.
Luna giggled.
"I mean no offense, Jetstream, but you look rather amusing like that. Like a misfired spell got you or something."
Jetstream smiled and nodded, as they arrived at the entrance to the private audience chamber. As Luna predicted, Celestia was present, however she was alone.
"Ah, Jetstream, Little Sister, I was wondering when I'd see the two of you." said the Solar Princess.
"As a matter of fact, Celestia, I was hoping to speak to the two of you alone for a bit."
Celestia nodded ans said:
"Guards, leave us. I wish to speak privately with Jetstream and my sister. Worry not, should anything happen I'm sure Jetstream could protect us." and the Royal Guards departed the room, closing every door and window.
Suddenly, the walls, windows and doors became coated in a thick sheet of crystal.
"What is the meaning of this?" cried Luna.
"Relax, Luna. It's only a bit of my Chaos magic. I want to make sure nopony eavesdrops on us." assured Jetstream.
"Now, what is it you wanted to tell us?" asked Celestia.
Jetstream took a breath and replied:
"Remember the old days, when we used to sing and play music together, just the three of us? I was hoping we could do that again. I've had centuries to develop my musical ability and I really want to revisit the past. I suggest that at tonight's feast we do just that."
Both of the Everfree Sisters stood there and thought for a moment.
"That would be most enjoyable indeed." agreed Celestia.
"But what will we sing? And we have no time to practice before we perform." added Luna.
"Come closer, both of you, and lower your horns. I will transfer the knowledge to you both." Jetstream replied.
The older Alicorns obliged, and a silver light enveloped the trio for a minute. When the magic subsided, Celestia stood straight and said:
"What you have in mind will touch the hearts of many, Jetstream. That much is obvious."
"I think it will help our guests understand how we felt on that unfortunate day, a thousand years ago." said Luna, Celestia nodding in agreement.
Jetstream walked to the third throne, set on Celesita's left. Two millennia prior, it had been Jetstream's throne. Now a carving of the Crystal Heart hung above the throne, indicating that it now belonged to Cadence. Next to it was an empty throne with the Element of Magic carved above it, indicating that it belonged to Twilight. Jetstream looked to the right of Luna's throne, where an empty space was present. Focusing her power, Jetstream said in the Ancient Language:
"May the Throne of Lightning rise again in this space!"
A golden light flooded the room, and when it dissipated, a fifth throne, marked with a golden lightning bolt, sat at the right of Luna's throne.
Celestia snickered.
"Way to redecorate the palace, Jetstream. Using Mother Faust's power just for a seat like that. You do realize that you have to hold Thunder Court again because you did that, right?"
Jetstream smiled and replied:
"It was a sacrifice I was willing to make. We should get going, spawning the instruments I'll need will take time."
* * *
Everypony was gathered around the long table and was eating happily while chattering with those sitting next to them. Jetstream took particular interest in Rainbow Dash and her ambition to become a Wonderbolt.
"I'm not sure if it's been recorded in the history books, but I'm actually responsible, in a way, for the Wonderbolts' existence." said the Alicorn.
"Really? That's pretty cool. You must've been a good flier if you inspired Spitfire after two thousand years." replied Rainbow, genuinely interested in hearing what Jetstream had to tell her.
"Spitfire's Wonderbolts are actually inspired by another group of talented fliers with the same name. These First Wonderbolts were themselves inspired by a group called the Archangels, who had became popular about 250 years after I retired from competitive flying. If memory serves, the original Wonderbolts were formed about three centuries ago, by a pegasus mare named Thunder Wind. I remember how intimidating it felt to once again be the center of attention after seventeen hundred years of hiding. I'm honestly surprised Celestia didn't discover me when we shook hooves after our last show."
Rainbow's eyes widened.
"Wait, you're talking as if you were a part of the original Wonderbolts. What the hay is goin' on?"
Jetstream chuckled.
"Well, the cat's out of that bag, now is it?. Dear Rainbow, I wasn't just a member of the original Wonderbolts, I founded them. Just look at the name: Wonderbolts. Bolts, Rainbow. What does lightning become in order to strike? It becomes a lightning bolt. Not to mention the name of their captain. The persona I made myself, Thunder Wind, and not to mention the fact that she looked exactly like I did when I was a pegasus, save for the cutie mark being a thundercloud rather than a book."
"No way! Why'd you guys split if you were so good?"
"Because unlike me, my former teammates, stydja unin mor'ranr, were not eternal. Our run lasted a good decade and a half, but as time went by, their bodies aged and they no longer had the endurance of their youth. As for how talented I am in flight, you witnessed it yourself at Cadence-dröttningu's wedding. We are evenly matched, Rainbow-fanëarel."
"What the hay did you call me? And that pegasus at the wedding, the one who made my Rainboom turn into rainbow lightning, that was you?"
"Fanëarel is an honorific term in the ancient language for a young mare of great promise. Also, yes, that pegasus was me. There again I'm surprised that neither Luna or Celestia discovered me that day."
As the meal went on, various ponies covered all sorts of subjects regarding Jetstream and how she kept busy for two thousand years. After the rest of the food was taken away from the table, much to the despair of a certain pink pony and demigod pegasus, Luna, Celestia, and Jetstream rose from their seats and made their way to the instruments Jetstream had summoned earlier.
"Before we continue, we'd like to tell a little story." began Celestia.
"Two millennia ago, it was often that the three of us would gather as are now, and play music together. Jetstream was our musician, and Tia and myself sang." said Luna.
"Tonight we've decided to give it another try, for old time's sake. However a fair warning: hold onto your heartstrings, they may get pulled on a lot during this song."
A/N: Click the link here to listen to the song and follow the lyrics.
-Both- -Tia and Luna- Fate has been cruel and order unkind
-Tia- How can I have sent you away? The blame was my own; the punishment, yours The harmony silent today
But into the stillness I'll bring you a song And I will your company keep Till your tired eyes and my lullabies Have carried you softly to sleep
-Tia and Luna- Fate has been cruel and order unkind
-Luna- How could you have sent me away? I sit here and gaze into stillness alone, The darkness and silence pervade
But here in my prison, my thoughts they won't fade Of power, and glory, and praise Till your blinded eyes, can see your own lies The stars will recount my last days
-Tia- Once did a pony who shone like the sun Look out on her kingdom and sigh She smiled and said, "Surely, there is no pony So lovely and so well beloved as I"
-Luna- Once was a pony whose moon shone so bright, The stars were in awe at its glow. She smiled and said, "Surely, there is no pony who'd dare be asleep through this marvelous show"
-Tia- So great was her reign and so brilliant her glory That long was the shadow she cast Which fell dark upon the young sister she loved And grew only darker as days and nights passed
-Luna- Yet where were they all, her subjects she never Caught sight of once shadows did fall Their laughter and joy was but a hopeless dream Which grew into nightmares as sun rays charmed all
-Tia- Lullay moon princess, goodnight sister mine Rest now in moonlight's embrace Bear up my lullaby, winds of the earth Through cloud, and through sky, and through space
Carry the peace and the coolness of night And carry my sorrow in kind Luna, you're loved so much more than you know Forgive me for being so blind
-Luna- Wait now, sun princess, The night will arise So keep not my moon in its place, 'Tia my judgement was not yours to give, And soon now we'll both meet our fates.
Carry my rage, oh you shadows of night, And carry my sorrow in kind Sister, your deed hurt much more than you know The time for my vengeance is nigh
-Tia- Soon did that pony take notice that others Did not give her sister her due And neither had she loved her as she deserved She watched as her sister's unhappiness grew
-Luna- The beams of another cast brightly on others, whose love and affection it drew And there that moon princess watched, shunned by the world, as hate filled her heart and unhappiness grew
-Tia- But such is the way of the limelight, it sweetly Takes hold of the mind of its host
-Luna- "Why don't they adore me?" she thought to herself, as the other had no right to boast
-Tia and Luna- And that foolish/selfish pony did nothing to stop The destruction of one/I who had needed her most
-Tia- Lullay moon princess, goodnight sister mine And rest now in moonlight's embrace Bear up my lullaby, winds of the earth Through cloud, and through sky, and through space
Carry the peace and the coolness of night And carry my sorrow in kind Luna, you're loved so much more than you know May troubles be far from your mind And forgive me for being so blind
-Luna- Wait now, sun princess, the night will arise So keep not my moon in its place, 'Tia my judgement was not yours to give, And soon now we'll both meet our fates.
Carry my rage, oh you shadows of night, And carry my sorrow in kind Sister, your deed hurt much more than you know May guilt plague you for your great crime For the time of my vengeance is nigh
-Tia and Luna- The years now before us Fearful and unknown I never imagined I'd face them on my own
May these thousand winters Swiftly pass, I pray
-Tia- I love you; I miss you All these miles away
-Luna- My pain grows, I can't know Are you still the same?
-Tia and Luna- May all your dreams be sweet tonight Safe behind your veil of moonlight/sunlight And/You know not of/my sadness, pain, nor care And when I dream/as you dream, I'll fly away/I'll break away and meet you there
Sleep...
As the music faded, the small crowd cheered through their tears.
"Thank you all most sincerely." said Celestia, before turning and tightly hugging Luna, who had begun to cry.
Jetstream stood next to the sisters and said:
" Atra du evarínya ono varda. May the stars watch over you. Have a pleasant night, everypony. Screwball, I expect a short report in the Ancient Language on what you learned about friendship by tomorrow evening."
The filly nodded and trotted off with her friends.
Jetstream turned to the Regal Sisters and joined them in their embrace.
"That was a beautiful song, Jetstream." Luna said.
"Truly, it made me think of how all three of us must've felt on the night where I banished Luna." added Celestia.
"I agree, but we must stay strong. Why don't you two head to bed, I've a few things left to tend to. Besides, ever since I acquired Chaos Magic, I find it unsafe to sleep. As a result, I enter a state of total rest, that is more than enough to recharge my brain after twenty minutes, and is good enough to last me three days before I have to use it again."
The sisters left the room, as did Jetstream, and the three of them went about their business for the night.
It's been four months since Percy and Annabeth arrived, the Pony-Changleing Treaty was put into full effect, and Jetstream returned to power. While peace and prosperity had increased since Changelings started popping up everywhere, Twilight, Percy, Annabeth, and Jetstream had all been paying close attention to Chrysalis and Sombra's progression. Kronos' power was increasing every day and Jetstream estimated that he'd be ready to take form within the next two weeks. In the meantime, progress was becoming very visible on Percy and Annabeth's future home, which was nearing completion and, being ahead of schedule, would be ready in three weeks' time. The two demigods-turned-ponies took the time to make themselves a place in Equestria's newly reformed society. With the incorporation of the Treaty, Changelings became frequently seen in many communities, including Ponyville. With a couple thousand ponies and no less than four dozen Changelings populating the town, each coming from a variety of hives, though Dianthia's was prominent.
The population welcomed Jetstream with openness only known to the inhabitants of Equestria. Many elderly ponies recalled old legends about her and historians all over Equestria and neighboring countries came to Canterlot to ask her about the past, so that they may correct the history books. Twilight herself learned a great deal more about magic thanks to her new colleague. Their respective daughters and their five friends had yet to find their cutie marks, but they never deterred. With Screwball and Nyx lending a supernatural hoof, the seven Crusaders had taken their crusades to a whole new level of crazy. Discord seemed to take immense pleasure in helping the seven foals put together such stunts, much to Screwball's pleasure.
In fact, in the past four months alone, Discord had become a completely different kind of person. His demeanor was more delicate, more polite, even though he stirred up the occasional batch of chaos, which Jetstream always made sure he cleaned up when he was done. Becoming a father obviously had something to do with it, as did reuniting with Jetstream.
*This must be how Discord was like before he went crazy. He's definitely more pleasant now.* Twilight had pondered.
Cadence and Shining Armor were also glowing with happiness. Cadence was now six months into her pregnancy and it was easily visible. The couple had also chosen to keep the foal's gender and type a surprise.
Percy had started fretting over not hearing from his human friends in a while, before Annabeth reminded him that even though it had already been four months in Equestria, only two or three days had gone by in their world. Both demigods had gotten used to their pony forms and had even found themselves a place in Ponyville's society. Percy had joined the weather team and specialized in the manipulation of rainclouds, and Annabeth began designing architecture for the township. Mayor Mare seemed very pleased by Annabeth's designs, and was working around the clock with all of Ponyville's very best builder ponies to make those designs happen.
Twilight herself had been incredibly busy preparing for the imminent war, dealing with ambassadors from various regions of Equestria to set up defenses, and administrating the Changeling Affairs Bureau to make sure things went smoothly. She also worked alongside Shining Armor to provide the Royal Guard and Equestrian Army as much information and help as possible to recognize and defeat enemy changelings, as well as, thanks to Percy and Annabeth's experience in the field, monsters from Tartarus. Any free time she had was strictly reserved to spending quality family time with Nyx and Spike, as well as her Ponyville friends, whom she considered to be extended family.
Jetstream had provided a special training method for more crucial types of missions.
"In Altur'Rang exists a special room completely cut off from the outside world. I call it the Chamber of Illusion. The Chamber takes the appearance of one's will and whatever happens in it according to that same individual's will. With somepony to oversee the training going on in the room, we could use it to train the military in combat and in tactical missions as well." Shining had immediately put the chamber to the test, with highly satisfying results.
Twilight was on her way to meet Shining to check on the last preparations for the war, when the sound of swords clashing caught her attention. Following the noise, Twilight found a small crowd of guards spectating a swordplay duel between Percy and Shining Armor. Shining's royal guard sword held firm by his magic grip, and Percy's bronze pen-sword stuck between his clamped jaws. The two stallions stood still for a moment, then Shining charged. Percy deflected or dodged each attack and responded with blows of his own, before backing away. The demigod pegasus used his wings as well as his hooves to move around. The two seperated for a moment, and Percy feinted left, causing Shining to flinch. Taking the opening, Percy battered the Captain's sword out of his magic grip and stuck the blade hilt-deep in Shining's side. Guards all around gasping, Shining simply staring with a look of surprise.
"You got me." he said, as Percy retracted his bronze sword and sheathed it. Not a mark was left where Percy's sword had pieced the older stallion's side.
"Demigod training helps, and just being a demigod has a part in there too."
"What do you mean?" Twilight asked.
"I'm surprised Annabeth never told you. We demigods are hardwired for battle, so our reflexes and instincts kick in pretty hard in combat. The rest is basic training that I've picked up on since I've lived at Camp Half-Blood. The pony body took some getting used to, and my teeth, neck, and jaw were really sore from the first few workouts, but now I can fight almost as well as I could as a human."
A guard approached Percy.
"If I may ask, how was it that your blade left no mark on Captain Shining Armor?"
Percy drew his sword and jabbed the guard on the nose, the blade sinking into his face harmlessly. The guard simply stared at the blade buried in his muzzle.
"Tell me, do you feel anything? Obviously not. Riptide is made of Celestial Bronze, a sacred metal that only works on immortal creatures, like gods or monsters, but not mortals. I could injure Twilight or myself with this sword, but not you or Shining. That's because Twilight's an Alicorn, meaning she's got immortal blood in her veins now, and I'm a demigod, so I have some too. Mortal weapons don't work on immortals, but they do on demigods as well, 'cause we're part mortal, part immortal. Shining's sword would do the same to Twilight as Riptide could do to Shining, get it?"
The guard nodded. "I think so. So how are we supposed to defeat the monsters from Tartarus if we don't have weapons like yours?"
Shining stepped forward.
"Princess Jetstream and Princess Luna are working on a duplication spell to work on Riptide to recycle the Celestial Bronze and create a proper armory of the stuff. As far as I know, it's working for now. Anyway that's all for today, you are all dismissed." he added, and the troops left the area.
"I'm guessing you're not just here to spectate swordplay, Twily. Spit it out." said Shining as he turned to his sister.
"I came to check on the troops' preparations for the war."
Shining sighed and said:
"Well we're as ready as we'll ever be. I know Jetstream's trying her hardest to locate Sombra and Chrysalis before Kronos can reform, but she can't seem to get a lock on them. No extra amount of training's gonna help us now, so I'm letting the troops off easy for until the war begins. Even with experienced fighters like Percy or Annabeth, we'll be hard-pressed to beat them."
"If only I still had the Curse of Achilles on me, we'd win this pretty easy." Percy said.
"The Curse of Achilles? What's that?"
"Annabeth probably told you about Achilles, right?" Twilight nodded, "Well the Curse is the gift that was his own. You become physically invulnerable at the cost of your stamina, and of one simple weak spot. Mine was in the small of my back. I had to take the Curse to be able to fight Kronos, and Luke Castellan, Kronos' mortal host, had to take it to bear the Titan's essence. To get it, you have to get a blessing from a parent, and then think of what really grounds you to mortal life, like a loved one, and to bathe in the River Styx with that ground as your lifeline. All-in-all a painful and generally non-recommended process. I had to give up the Curse to enter Camp Jupiter and get away from a pair of bloodthirsty gorgons." Percy paused for a moment.
"But I am wondering, will these Celestial Bronze copies work on monsters? And would they work on Changelings? Because we won't be fighting just monsters, you know." he continued.
"I'm not sure. It'd be best to ask Jetstream about it, she'd probably know something. Last I saw her she was with Luna in the Lunar Gardens." said Twilight.
The walk was short, but it was still plenty enough time for Twilight to reflect on Percy's words. Changelings could definitely pose a problem if Celestial Bronze didn't work on them, as the troops would have to carry weapons of both types of weapons. On the other hoof, there was no guarantee that the sacred metal's copies would function on immortals like the original could.
They hadn't even reached the entrance to the Lunar Gardens when they crossed paths with the Princess of the Moon.
"Twilight, Shining Armor, Percy. What a pleasant surprise." Luna said, a warm smile on her face. "Looking for something?"
"In fact, yes. We're looking for Jetstream, and also we need one of the copies you made of Riptide, Percy's sword." said Twilight.
The Lunar Alicorn's horn shimmered a silvery light and a sword identical to Riptide gently sailed through the air before stopping between the two Alicorns. The magical aura surrounding the blade turned from silver to violet as Twilight took hold of the weapon, carefully placing it in a scabbard and attaching the latter to her saddlebags.
"Princess Jetstream has returned to Altur'Rang for the time being. If you're looking for her, you'll find her there." Luna added, before continuing on her way.
"Well that settles that. Alright everypony gather close, and brace yourselves." said Twilight.
A brilliant purple flash obscured her vision for a second before the three of them found themselves in the square of a small town. Ponies all around stopped in their tracks to see what was going on, only to cheer as they recognized the Princess of Magic, and continue in their daily routines.
As the trio made their way towards Mt. Crystal, under which Altur'Rang was built, they came across a small flower boutique. Twilight immediately stopped and said:
"While we're in Whitetail Meadows we should drop by and visit Lavender and Cogs. I owe them a visit anyway." The two stallions nodded and followed her inside.
A foal could be heard crying as a mare's voice called out:
"Just a minute, I'll be right with you!"
*Lavender must be having a hard time tending her shop and caring for Dandelion at the same time when Cogs isn't around...* Twilight thought.
A few minutes later, the crying stopped, and a mint-colored mare with a purple mane came stumbling out of a door behind the counter. The expression on her face changed from fatigue, to surprise, to joy.
"Twilight! What a pleasant surprise! I don't suppose you came to buy anything did you?" said Lavender Dreams.
"Not in the slightest, Lavender. We were just in the area and I thought I'd drop by for a visit." Twilight explained.
"Well it's about time I take a break anyway." Lavender said, her foal-sized horn glowing faintly as the "Open" sign flipped around to "Closed".
"If you'd all follow me, I'll set you up in the living room and make some tea." she said.
A few minutes later, Percy, Twilight and Shining were all comfortable seated in cozy armchairs around a low coffee table, and across from Twilight, sat Lavender on a large sofa, cradling with her forelegs a small foal swaddled in a deep blue blanket.
"Dandelion's grown a lot since last time." Twilight remarked.
"Well it has been almost half a year since you last saw her. But tell me, who are your bodyguards? They haven't spoken since you got here."
Twilight looked at Shining and said:
"Well they're not exactly my bodyguards. This is my brother, Shining Armor, Captain of the Royal Guard."
"A pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Dreams." he added.
"I've heard about you. The royal wedding in Canterlot a couple years ago, or the whole Crystal Empire thing. I must say it's a pleasure to meet you too, Captain." Lavender turned her attention to Percy, "And you are?"
Percy cleared his throat.
"I'm, uh, not a Royal Guard. My name's Percy, I'm just a friend of Twilight's."
"Do you know about the two demigod ponies who arrived four months ago?" Twilight asked Lavender.
"I've heard rumors, and Cogs told me a little more about them after returning from a meeting in Canterlot, something about the Changeling Affairs Bureau? Anyway he had told me about how two creatures called demigods had come to Equestria. I'm certain you know more about this Twilight?"
Twilight chuckled.
"News certainly travels fast. As a matter of fact I do know more. Percy here happens to be one of the two demigods in question. His marefriend, the other demigod, is a unicorn named Annabeth."
"Well I'm not surprised you'd be the first to know them personally. Oh, and before I forget my manners, I may as well introduce myself. My name is Lavender Dreams, and this little filly here is my daughter Dandelion Dreams. Her father, and my husband, a Changeling named Zevan, or Whirring Cogs as he likes to call himself, is out helping the neighbors with a problem in their plumbing system. He'll probably be back within the hour."
As Lavender predicted, a gray pegasus with an electric blue mane made his entrance a few dozen minutes later. He was quickly introduced to Percy and Shining by Twilight, and filled in on the latest news concerning the war.
"... and that's where we currently stand. As far as we can tell, Chrysalis and Sombra are probably going to attack in two weeks' time." concluded Shining Armor.
"With all that I forgot to ask you, what brings you to Whitetail Meadows in the first place?" asked Lavender, who had passed Dandelion to Twilight to hold for a while.
"We're on our way to Mt. Crystal. One of our friends is waiting for us there." Percy explained.
"Would I be correct in assuming that that friend is none other than Princess Jetstream?" asked Cogs.
"The one and only. Do you know her?" said Twilight.
"We sure do. Lavender and I were visiting her sister, Tigerlily Dreams, when we first met. Jetstream immediately recognized me as a Changeling, and I her. Apparently her daughter and Lily's are good friends."
"Screwball and Wildrose. Yeah those two and my own daughter, Nyx are an inseparable trio. Along with their four other friends, they're known for causing all kinds of trouble back in Ponyville." commented Twilight.
Lavender laughed and said:
"Anyway Jetstream invited us over for dinner that evening. Her palace under Mt. Crystal is huge. Luckily she was waiting for us at the entrance to guide us to the dining room. As it turns out, Jetstream is an excellent cook. She let me borrow some of her recipes and they're just great. Cogs especially likes the fish fillet I got out of the book she gave me."
"I wouldn't expect any less from Jetstream. She has been living on her own for two thousand years, after all." said Percy.
Cogs nodded.
"True enough. And when we were headed back home, Jetstream told us that we were welcome anytime. The entrance would be open if either she or her daughter was home, and that if we needed to find her, we just had to follow the music. I'm still not sure what that meant, but when I went back a few weeks ago, the entrance was open, and I found Wildrose and Screwball just sitting in the living room with their friends, talking." he added.
"We were looking for Jetstream because of some of the weapons we made to fight the monsters of Tartarus in the upcoming war." Percy said, "You see, immortal creatures like monsters or gods, or in this world, Alicorns, aren't affected by mortal weapons, so we need weapons that can injure and even kill immortals. Back in my world there are three metals that I know of that can do that: Celestial Bronze, Stygian Iron, and Imperial Gold. My sword, Riptide, is made of Celestial Bronze."
"Fascinating..." commented Cogs. "And I'm guessing Jetstream has a spell up her sleeve to duplicate your sword?"
"Exactly. The thing is, we're not sure if the copies will work like the original. Let me demonstrate."
Percy drew Riptide and brought it to Lavender.
"Don't worry. Even though these metals harm immortals, they just pass through mortals, without leaving a mark. Try it." he added, passing the sword to Lavender, who gripped it with her magic.
Turning the sword's point towards her stomach, Lavender eased the blade closer, until a good three inches of it stuck in her belly. The mare giggled.
"This is so weird. I don't feel anything!" She pushed the blade hilt-deep through her stomach, the tip of Riptide sticking out of her back. Cogs simply stared, wide-eyed at the spectacle.
"Of course not. You're mortal, so Celestial Bronze won't do a thing to you. What surprises me more is how the Mist doesn't seem to exist in Equestria." Percy replied.
"The Mist? Annabeth told me about it. How do you know it doesn't exist in Equestria?" asked Twilight.
"If it did, Shining, Lavender, and Cogs would all have seen Riptide in pen form, despite the fact that it's been in sword form ever since Rarity made this scabbard for me. Like Annabeth probably told you, the Mist is a magical veil that separates the mortal and immortal worlds. It's this kind of magic that makes mortals see things differently from what they really are, because their brains wouldn't be able to handle it. No offense, by the way." the demigod pegasus explained.
"In my opinion, the best way to find out whether the copies work is to try it out." said Cogs.
Twilight nodded and unsheathed the duplicate sword, exchanging it with Riptide, which Lavender was still holding. The mint-colored mare tapped the blade with a hoof, only for it to pass right through it. She then tried beheading herself with the copy, yielding the same results as the first time.
"Looks like the copy works the same as the original. But will it work on an immortal?" Lavender asked as she passed the sword back to Twilight, who touched the blade with a wing, confirming that she could indeed touch it.
"Our other dilemma was whether Celestial Bronze works on Changelings or not. With Chrysalis and Sombra working together, it wouldn't be a surprise to end up fighting whatever of her hive that is still loyal to her. What worries me though is the Changelings under Chysalis' mind control spell." admitted Percy.
"From what I hear, Jetstream and the Queens on our side have been working on a spell to free them. She said it involves breaking Chrysalis' hivemind and temporarily reconnecting it to Jetstream's, which is currently composed only of the Thunder Guard, Jetstream's personal Royal Guard corps. From there, Jetstream could sort out the ones still loyal to Chrysalis and disconnect them entirely, and winning us some extra troops along the way." explained Shining.
"That's exactly how the hivemind would work." said Cogs, "The way it's supposed to work is that each Queen has the minds of all of her subjects linked to her own, and can opt to disconnect a subject from the hivemind. Also, a Changeling who hasn't contacted the hivemind for a long enough period of time gets cut off automatically, like I did. The way Changeling Magic works is all about illusions and the power of the mind. The thing is, only the High Queen can re-connect subjects to the hivemind. The High Queen not only has a hivemind for her own hive, but also has a miniature hivemind connecting herself with the lesser Queens, and by extension all of their respective subjects. What puzzles me though is that they'd have Jetstream take control of Chrysalis' hivemind rather then High Queen Dianthia herself. After all, Jetstream isn't a Queen, much less a full-blooded Changeling."
"I remember in the old records something about Jetstream being a seventh, albeit honorary, Queen of the Changelings. The fact that she can sustain a hivemind of her own, even if it is only about fifty guards, should be enough to prove that she can manage what's left of Chrysalis' hive, even for only a short time." said Twilight.
Cogs stared for a minute, and said:
"Then everything should go fine in that regard. So you need a changeling test subject for your sword?" Twilight nodded. "I can help."
"Are you sure about this Cogs? I have to warn you: it's going to sting a little." Twilight warned.
"Go for it." the Changeling insisted, green flames enveloping his form as he returned to his default form.
"Alright then, brace yourself Zevan, this is gonna hurt."
The Changeling took a deep breath as Twilight took Riptide from Percy's scabbard and brought the point to Zevan's shoulder and pieced it about an inch deep. The Changeling gasped as the blade stuck through his flesh. A deep green liquid oozed out of the wound, but Twilight retrieved it and placed it into a vial she kept in her saddlebags.
"Yep!" he cried, "I can feel it! It hurts more than it should, too!"
Twilight immediately retracted the blade and passed it back to Percy, who sheathed it immediately. She then took the copy of the blade and approached Zevan again.
"This one's the copy, I'm going to poke you right next to the spot before." she warned.
"Okay, I'm ready." the Changeling replied.
Repeating the process, Twilight jabbed the sword into Zevan's shoulder, and the Changeling yelped, but said nothing. More green liquid flowing from the second wound. Twilight quickly retrieved it and stopped the Changeling's bleeding with magic, before returning the changeling blood to it's rightful place in Zevan's body and healing the two diamond-shaped gashes in his shoulder.
"Sorry to torture you like that, Zevan, but the tests are complete. Celesital Bronze works on Changelings. You can turn back into your pegasus form now." Twilight concluded.
A green flash later, Whirring Cogs stared at Twilight with a hint of venom in his eyes, while absently rubbing his shoulder with a wing.
"Glad I could help." he said. "But did you have to poke me so hard? That really didn't tickle you know."
Percy snickered.
"Consider yourself lucky that she didn't keep your blood to study it or something." the demigod said.
The whole group, save Twilight, burst out laughing. Surprisingly, Dandelion had remained asleep the whole time.
"Well, we'd better get going." announced Twilight, "We need to see Jetstream anyway to double check on the duplication spell's efficiency and to make sure everything's still good with the hivemind trick."
Lavender and Cogs followed them to the door, and as they left, Lavender called:
"You're all welcome to stop by anytime! Thanks for the visit!"
"And please don't bring swords next time!" Cogs added.
* * *
As Twilight, Percy and Shining arrived at the base of the mountain, the entrance to Altur'Rang became clearly visible. The doorway was large enough to let two well-built stallions like Shining walk side by side. The doorframe was lined with glowing runes in the Ancient Language.
"What do the runes say, Twilight?" Percy asked.
"It's in the Ancient Language, so I'll give you a rough translation.Here stands the Sanctuary under the Crystal Mountain. That's what it says. I remember Jetstream telling me that Altur'Rang mean Sanctuary in the Ancient Language. Anyway let's go in, and find the Princess of Lightning before it gets late. I want to be home to Nyx and Spike before it gets too dark." Twilight said.
As the trio made their way up the stairs, the ground quickly shifted from polished stone to crystal. Before long, music could be heard in the distance.
A/N: If you want to hear what Jetstream is playing, click here. You can restart the song if it finishes before you reach the point where Jetstream stops playing.
"That tune sounds oddly familiar..." said Twilight.
"That's because it is. Remember the Royal Wedding?" asked Percy. "It's the "This Day Aria" Cadence and Chrysalis sang as a duet as you were on your way to interrupt the wedding before Chrysalis could take over Canterlot."
"How did you know that?" asked Shining.
"Remember how I said that back in my world, this world is just a fictional land in a children's television show? That wedding was one of the things that was put in an episode. Two in this case to be exact." said Percy.
"We'd better follow the music like Cogs said. That way we'll probably find Jetstream."
The three of them continued on their way, the music gradually becoming louder as they walked. Altur'Rang was an underground crystal maze for those who hadn't spent years living there. It took a few minutes for Twilight to orientate herself and pinpointing Jetstream's location. She'd been to Altur'Rang before, but it had been almost a year since then, and she had only visited the library in depth. Everything else was fuzzy in her mind.
After a few more minutes of walking, they'd reached a vast room with what was quite possibly the largest piano display Twilight had ever seen. At the base of it, sitting at a bench was something Twilight never thought she'd see again: a human being. A little closer of a look and Twilight realized that the human had wings, and her hairstyle and skin was identical to Jetstream's mane and coat. She wore a T-shirt of a slightly deeper color than her mane's blue, and silver jeans.
*That's Jetstream alright, but why did she adopt a human appearance?* Twilight
Her fingers moved wildly about the piano's keyboard as she continued playing, until she reached the end of her song and concluded it. Jetstream then got up and, without turning around, said:
"Got lost in the palace, did you? I would've finished playing sooner if you hadn't." she turned to face them.
"Uhh, Jetstream?" Percy stammered, "Why are you a human, with wings to boot?"
"Of all ponies who could ask me that, it had to be you, Percy? I'd think you'd be the first to understand how well these work." she answered, raising her right hand and wiggling her fingers.
"But nevertheless walking in this form is, shall I say... complicated? Honestly I only use it once in a while, usually here. Twilight gave me the idea when she returned from the human realm herself." she continued, resuming her default form and landing on all fours with a loud clunk.
Shaking herself out of her stupor, Twilight said:
"Anyway we came to check on your progress with the duplication spell. We already tested the copies and they do work on both immortals and Changelings."
"Well of course they would? I did say they were perfect copies, did I not? As for working on Changelings, the answer there is simple: Changelings, in a way, are like demigods. They are directly descended from creatures with immortal blood: The Changeling Queens. Not to mention the Changeling Race as a whole originated from one of the Principles of Creation: Optica, Lady of Illusion, who created Changeling Magic and herself became the first Changeling."
Twilight, Percy, and Shining were all dumbstruck.
*She's so relaxed and she knows so much... I don't understand how she can withhold so much knowledge like this and still keep a passive face.* Twilight thought.
"I don't withhold information, Twilight. I've simply had more time to read every book in Altur'Rang's library that you have. As for keeping a straight face, well, let's just say I've had two millennia to practice it. And before you say more, yes, I read your mind. It's a Changeling power after all."
Suddenly Jetstream went rigid, her ears twitching.
"Oh, no..."
"Jetstream, what's up? asked Percy, worried.
"It's Sombra and Chrysalis... They're attacking the Crystal Empire!"
"What!?" cried Shining, "But you said they wouldn't attack for another two weeks!"
"I said Kronos wouldn't rise in that time, Captain. Though I am surprised that Sombra didn't opt to wait for the Titan Lord to rise as he had planned to."
"Maybe he's confident that they could keep us busy long enough, and weaken us before Kronos arrives?" suggested Percy.
"Regardless their motives, we must intercept them." Jetstream declared.
She closed her eyes, and suddenly her voice sounded in all of their heads, despite her lips not moving as she spoke.
"Citizens of Equestria! It is I, the Princess of Lighting! The time we have been dreading is now upon us! King Sombra and Queen Chrysalis are mounting an attack against the Crystal Empire as I speak! We must intercept them as quickly as possible, therefore I must ask each and every last soldier in Equestria to ready themselves for departure! In two hours, I will cast a spell to bring all of our forces within the safety barrier of the Crystal Empire, where Celestial Bronze weapons will be given to you! These weapons are the only thing that can harm the monsters you've all been training for four months to kill. I repeat: You have two hours to ready yourselves, and you will be transported to the Crystal Empire by magical means. Make haste, for time is short."
Jetstream then turned to Twilight, and said:
"I need you and Percy to go to Ponyville and gather the Bearers of the Elements, as well as Annabeth, and to meet me in the private audience chamber in Canterlot Castle. Captain Shining Armor and I will go there directly and rally the Royal Guard and the Equestrian Army based in the city. Quickly, we don't have much time."
Twilight nodded, and Jetstream and Shining vanished in a flash of silver light.
"We'd better get moving too." said Percy, before Twilight teleported the both of them to Golden Oaks Library.
"You go find Rainbow, Applejack, and Fluttershy, I'll fetch the others. Like Jetstream said, time is short." Twilight said.
Percy nodded and flew off to Rainbow's cloud house.
*It's finally time to end this. I hope we don't lose too many forces. I'm terrified at the thought of Kronos rising here, from what Percy said, even Jetstream might not be able to beat him...*
Chapter 10 - I reenact the Battle of Manhattan, except with ponies instead of demigods. -Percy
Man oh man, did everything get serious in a hurry. One minute we were exchanging pleasantries with some of Twilight's friends, and testing out the copy Jetstream and Luna made of Riptide, and the next we're scrambling all over Ponyville and Canterlot because Sombra and Chrysalis sprang a surprise attack on the Crystal Empire. Talk about impatient, Kronos still wasn't due to rise for two weeks' time. Honestly that was the only plus side to this whole thing. I we could beat Chrysalis and Sombra before Kronos would rise, then we could focus entirely on beating him.
All these thoughts buzzed in my head as I flew to Rainbow's cloud house. Luckily, the wind from the other day blew the floating construction closer to Ponyville, so it didn't take long to get there. As I landed with a soft poof on the cloud, I called out:
"Hey Rainbow! You there?"
Her head popped out of a window on the second floor.
"Over here, Percy!" she called as she jumped out and landed next to me. "So what's up?" she added.
"You heard Jetstream's call to battle right?" I asked.
"I was taking a nap, but it did wake me up. So the war's started, huh?"
I nodded. "And she wants me and Twilight to fetch the other Elements and Annabeth and bring them to Canterlot. You're my first stop, followed by AJ and Fluttershy. We'd better get moving, 'cause we don't have much time."
"Right." Rainbow agreed, and we took off.
Reaching Sweet Apple Acres didn't take as much time as finding Rainbow's cloud house did, considering it was always in the same spot, unlike Rainbow's pad. Applejack was already packed up and apparently arguing with Granny Smith.
"Ah told ya, Granny, Ah gotta go help Twilight! Ah'm an Element 'o Harmony for pony's sake! It's mah duty to help protect Equestria!"
"Oh, be reasonable, yung'un! Yer an Earth Pony, what good could you do for big and powerful Princesses? They've got all the magic they need to win this thing. 'Sides the Elements are gone! Ya told me that you had to give 'em back to the Tree to free the Everfree Sisters!"
"And Princess Jetstream discovered we could still use the powers from our Elements without having them! We don't jus' carry 'em anymore, Granny, we are the Elements now!"
Just then, Rainbow and I landed.
"Percy, Rainbow! Thank goodness y'all are here. Could'ya talk some sense into Granny Smith for me? She jus' won't listen!" Applejack said.
"Granny," I said, "this is an order coming from Princess Jetstream herself. We have to go fight this war, we just do. She sent me and Twilight to fetch the other Elments and Annabeth and to head back to Canterlot. We don't have a choice, Granny. If it were up to me, I'd be the only one going, but Jetstream wants all of us, so we all have to go."
The old pony seemed torn between the fate of Equestria and her own granddaughter's safety. Finally, she came to a decision:
"Fine. Go fight yer Changelings an' monsters. Jus' promise me this, will ya? Come back safe."
"Will do, Granny." Applejack said, before turning to me and Rainbow. "We'd best get movin' then. Who's left?"
"We still have to stop by Fluttershy's cottage. She's obviously gonna need convincing if we're going to bring her to Canterlot." I said.
"Oh boy. Fluttershy's gonna need more then convincing to get her to go to war. We'd better get going then."
Running to the cottage took less time than expected. It was surprisingly close to the farm compared to Ponyville itself.
I walked up to the door and knocked. Fluttershy was quick to answer.
"Oh! Percy, I didn't expect you to be over so soon. I only just finished packing..." she said.
"Packing? Fluttershy, you're actually coming with us without a struggle?" Rainbow asked, disbelief on her face.
"Well, yes. I know I'd lose anyway so I might as well just get ready to go. I'll probably help with medicine and injuries rather than fighting anyway." the yellow pegasus replied.
"Well we should head back to Twilight's now. We've only got about an hour and a half left." I said.
* * *
The eight of us were gathered in the Library, all ready to go to Canterlot.
"Alright everypony, brace yourselves. This is going to be a rough ride." Twilight warned, her horn starting to glow.
With a flash of purple light, we immediately found ourselves in the private audience chambers in Canterlot Castle. Celestia was standing by her throne, talking to Cadence. The two Alicorns turned to face us.
"Glad you could all make it." said Cadence. "Aunt Tia and I were going over our plan of attack. Jetstream is in the courtyards with Shiny rallying the troops, and Aunt Luna is meditating in her chambers.
About an hour later, Jetstream mentally called us to the courtyards.
"Good, everypony is here. We depart in fifteen minutes. I already contacted all the commanding officers of the Equestrian Army throughout the land and informed them of our imminent departure. When the fifteen minutes pass, I'll make a quick check to makes sure they're all ready to go, and I will transport each and every last one of us to the Crystal Empire with Divine Magic." she announced.
"What about your plan to convert the enemy Changelings?" I asked.
"I've made all the preparations I need for that. All there is left to do is execute it."
We spent the next fifteen minutes discussing the battle plan with Celestia, Cadence and Luna, who had all shown up in the meantime.
"The time has come. We shall depart immediately." Jetstream said.
She spoke a few lines in the Ancient Language, which I still couldn't understand, though Annabeth was starting to get the hang of it.
Soon after she finished chanting, the entire courtyard was flooded in a golden light, and with a flash, everypony there, save Twilight, Jetstream and myself, had disappeared.
"Uhhh, Jetstream?" I asked, "Shouldn't we have gone with them?"
She nodded. "Yes, we should have, but somepony seems to have tampered with the spell and kept us here."
A higher-pitched voice came from behind us:
"Well, we had to stop you somehow."
All three of us spin around to confront the one who said that. It was none other than Nyx and Screwball.
"Nyx? And Screwball too? What are you two doing this time? This is no time for games, girls. We have a war on our hooves and Equestria is counting on us!" exclaimed Twilight.
"That's exactly why we held you back, Mom. We want to go with you, and help in the war." Nyx explained.
"That's out of the question, Nyx! A warzone is no place for two foals, no matter how powerful they are! I'm sorry girls but it's just not right for us to bring you along!"
"Mother, you once told me it was your greatest duty to protect Equestria in any way you could. Now it's time for you to stay true to that. I want to help you in this task, and you know that we can make a difference." said Screwball.
"I... It is indeed my ultimate goal to keep Equestria out of harm's way, Screwball-fanëarel, but as Twilight-drottningü has just said, a warzone is no place for two foals, even as powerful as you are. I do not think we could, in good conscience, bring you with us." Jetstream replied. The fillies' expressions changed from defiant to sad.
"However," their faces lit up with hope, "if you truly are dedicated to aiding in our war effort, then you can prove it to us by making your way to the Crystal Empire by your own means. I know the two of you are crafty and smart enough to find a way to join us, whether we want you to or not. So here's the deal: If you can get to the Crystal Empire on your own power, you'll be more than welcome to help us out. Understood?"
Twilight looked at Jetstream for a second, doubt on her face. Jetstream muttered something to her in the Ancient Language, and Twilight's expression changed. She smiled and nodded.
"For now, we must go. But I'm sure we will see you both later." Jetstream concluded, her horn glowing silver, followed by a flash of light.
When the light was gone, we found ourselves in the middle of the Crystal Throne Room. Cadence, Annabeth, Luna, Celestia, and the rest of the "Mane 6" were there.
"Where have you three been? Everpony got worried when you didn't appear along with us!" exclaimed Rarity.
"We were... Shall we say, held back? Nevertheless, what is the status of our situation?" replied Jetstream.
"So far, our position is favorable. The magic field generated by the Crystal Heart is keeping any and every threat at bay. However, keeping our enemies out is unfortunately the last thing we need, as we would simply be buying them more time. Time which, considering what's on it's way in two weeks, we cannot afford to waste." Celestia said.
"Then we must do the honorable thing. We must fight." concluded Jetstream. "However, common courtesy and honor dictates we meet the leaders of our opponents first and hope to settle this conflict peacefully. Therefore we must bring but a hoof-full of our more important individuals. Percy, Annabeth, Twilight, Luna, Celestia, Cadence and Shining Armor will come with me for this. Also the Changelings who fight with us will be arriving shortly. If we can, we should wait for Queen Dianthia before we confront Chrysalis and Sombra in person."
"Then what should we do in the meantime?" asked Shining.
"For now, tell the troops they can rest. I expect it to take a while before our Changeling allies arrive. I will probably be working on perfecting my understanding of my hivemind with the Thunder Guard. When she gets here, tell Dianthia to contact me and I will be with them shortly afterwards."
Shining nodded and headed off.
"We're going to need the Elements of Harmony to gather around the Crystal Heart to synchronize their energy. Twilight, you and the others should go do this." Celestia suggested.
"It's a great idea, Princess, but how? Could you show us?" Twilight replied.
"Luna and I certainly can. We've wielded the Elements ourselves and understand more or less how they worked. But remember: you need not rely on jewelry anymore, Twilight. You are all bound together by the last spell you had cast as a unicorn, the very same one that made you become an Alicorn."
"The proper term, Tia, is Destiny Bind." said Jetstream, "And I've already explained it's effects."
That was true. Jetstream had explained to Twilight and the other Elements in great detail how the so-called Destiny Bind worked. Apparently they could now use the powers of the Elements without actually having them on, and that as long as Twilight would be alive, the others would share her lifespan. They'd stop aging until Twilight died, if ever that did happen. Alicorns live forever, meaning that all six Elements would too. It also gave Twilight a mastery over Harmony Magic, according to Jetstream. It was apparently also because of the Destiny Bind that the Element of Magic worked for Twilight in the human world, despite it being the only Element in that dimension. According to Jetstream, the Destiny Bind shifted across the dimensions with the Element of Magic and the human versions of the other Elements received their power.
"Nevertheless, Jetstream. By combining the power of Harmony with that of the Crystal Heart, we will reinforce the barriers portecting the Crystal Palace, and, through the Elements, control what can and cannot come in. That way, we will be able to face our enemies without having to fight the Arctic cold that is so common to the Great Cantadian North." Celestia replied, before walking off with Luna and the Elements in tow.
Jetstream turned to Annabeth, Cadence, myself, and, as I just noticed, Spike.
"What will you four do?" she asked.
Cadence started towards another hallway, the same one Shining took to leave.
"I have to see to the well-being of our wounded. I have to oversee the medical tents and make sure everypony is ready. If you're looking for me, that's where I'll be." and she was gone.
Annabeth turned to where Celestia and the others had gone.
"I've read so much about the Crystal Heart, and Twilight's told me even more. To see them combine the powers of the Elements and the Heart, this I gotta see." she said before she bolted into the hallway.
Jetstream looked at me and Spike.
"And you two?"
I looked nervously at Spike, and he returned the expression.
"Guess we'd better follow Annabeth, for now. I'll see you later, Jetstream." I said, before grabbing Spike with a wing and dropping him on my back, and trotting off after Annabeth. The little dragon didn't even protest, and just held onto my mane.
"I think I'll stick with you during this war campaign, Percy. Twilight looks like she completely forgot me. Again." he sighed.
"Hey, don't be so down on yourself. I know they tend to forget you often, but I know I won't. You're the one who retrieved the Crystal Heart in the first place, remember?"
"Twilight's the one who found it, I just carried it because she was trapped." he replied glumly.
"That doesn't matter, Spike. You're still the one who brought it back, and saved the Crystal Empire with it. That's what counts in my opinion. I'll be glad to keep you with me for the war. You could be a huge help when it comes to fighting." I said, hoping to reassure him. The little dragon's face seemed to light up a little as we arrived level with Annabeth.
"Took you so long, Seaweed Brain?" she poked.
"Got delayed a little. Pep-talking for a passenger and whatnot." I replied. Spike chuckled on my back and Annabeth giggled as we kept walking. It wasn't long before we found the crystal transport that would take us to the Heart. As the blue light faded, we found ourselves standing not too far from the Everfree Sisters and the Mane 6, all gathered around a glowing artifact. I'd seen the Crystal Heart a few times in the show, and in some of Twilight's books too, but this was the first time I'd seen it in person. As we got closer, I could hear Celestia talking.
"... and once the power of Harmony is synchronized with that of the Crystal Heart, it's power will not only by enhanced, but it will be controllable as well. With your mastery of Harmony Magic, and your link to the Elements themselves, Twilight, you will be able to control the force field that surrounds and protects the Empire."
"But what am I supposed to do with that power?" Twilight asked. She sounded worried, because her voice was shaky.
"When the time comes, you will reduce the force field's radius to encompass strictly the Crystal Palace, but keep it's passive area effect to it's standard size. Therefore, the field will keep our enemies from reaching the Heart itself and the Palace, but the clear weather and warmth will remain in it's usual size." Luna explained.
"How am I going to do that? I've never controlled so much magic before, and Shiny was the one in the family who could do force fields well, not me!" Twilight panicked.
"Becalm yourself, Twilight Sparkle. You can do this, you know you can. Do not let doubt fill your mind. You are just as gifted in force fields as your brother, only less practiced." Luna reassured her.
"But how will I...?" Twilight protested.
"The same way you'd do anything with the Elements, only you'll use your horn instead of a tiara. Call upon your Harmony Magic and feed a steady stream of energy to the Crystal Heart. Try to match your magic's frequency with the Heart's, and when you succeed, you will know." Celestia interrupted.
Twilight swallowed and nodded, turning to the Crystal Heart and lowering her horn, a rainbow light coming from the tip. The rainbow stretched out and connected to the other Elements, Pinkie and Applejack by their hooves, Rainbow and Fluttershy by their wings, and Rarity by her horn. The rainbow coming from Twilight intensified as a bright beam shot out of her horn and connected with the Heart.
We stood there for a few long minutes, Twilight was apparently struggling to find the right frequency. Then, it happened. The Heart started to glow as it spun faster, it's color shifting and slowly changing to the same rainbow as the Harmony Magic Twilight was using. Suddenly, the rainbow connecting the others to Twilight shot back like rubber bands, and the spell ended. Twilight crumpled to the floor, out cold, and the Crystal Heart, still rainbow-colored, stopped spinning.
The other Elements rushed over to Twilight, but were stopped by Celestia.
"There is nothing you can do for her, except letting her rest."
"But princess, did it work?" asked Rarity.
"It did. Look at the heart." Luna said.
A pink star surrounded in smaller white stars appeared on the rainbowed Crystal Heart. Twilight's cutie mark.
"That means the heart is under Princess Twilight's full control. But for now, she needs to recover. In the meantime, we should go check on Shining Armor and the troops. Fluttershy, if you wish, you may join Princess Cadence in the medical tents." Celestia said, picking up Twilight with her magic and placing the unconscious lavender Alicorn on her own back, right between her wings, her head resting on the Solar Alicorn's neck.
Celestia smiled.
"I remember doing this for Twilight every day when she was little, as she would always wear herself out practicing magic when she lived in Canterlot Castle, learning directly from me. The poor filly kept burning herself out, she was so dedicated to learning. I told her over and over again not to push herself so hard, but she insisted, because learning was her passion, and it still is to this day."
"And each time, she'd wake up as I was setting the sun and raising the moon." The Sun Princess added, looking at her sister with a sad look.
I pawed the ground nervously. ADHD was a pain in the flank, even as a pony.
"I hate to interrupt something as nice as this, but shouldn't we get moving?" Annabeth asked. Apparently her ADHD was bugging her too.
Celestia nodded.
"Indeed we should. However there is nothing we can do for the time being, at least until Twilight wakes up. You are all free to do as you please for now. However you should stay close. I sense Twilight will be needing her friends to keep her spirits high throughout this war." she answered, and everypony went their separate ways.
"I'm gonna go have a closer look at the Heart." Annabeth told me, and she was gone.
I stood there for a second, completely alone, except for Spike, who was still sitting on my back.
"Hey!" he cried, "Percy, look over there!" The little dragon pointed a claw. Green fire was erupting in a courtyard not far from the palace. After the first green flare faded, the rest followed, and the horizon was no longer the green grass, but a buzzing sea of black. The Changelings had arrived.
"Hang on, Spike." I warned, and I took off to meet the High-Queen, who stood a good two feet taller than her subjects.
"Percy Jackson, and Spike the Dragon. It is good to see you both." Dianthia said.
"Queen Dianthia." Spike and I replied in unison, with me lowering myself in a bow.
The queen giggled.
"Rise, young pony. You are no subject of mine, and though your respect is appreciated, it is nonetheless unnecessary for you to bow to me."
"I'll get right to it then. Jetstream wanted us to tell you, whenever you arrived, to contact her telepathically. She said she was working on "perfecting her knowledge of the Hivemind" and she wandered off somewhere." I said.
"Thank you, Percy. I will contact Queen Jetstream right away." Dianthia replied, before returning to her subjects. I could barely make out the other four Queens with their hives. Regular queens stood only about a foot taller than their subjects, reaching Luna's height. Dianthia, however, was as tall as Celestia. The number of Changelings gathered in the courtyard was massive, and the buzzing noise that come from them was driving me nuts.
"Let's get outta here." I said. "Maybe we can go check on the Medical Tents." Spike nodded, and grabbed my mane as I spread my wings and took off.
It only took a few minutes to find the tents. It's kinda hard to miss a giant brown fabric box in a bright and colorful place like the Crystal Empire. I landed by the main entrance and stopped to catch my breath. Flying with a passenger wasn't as easy as flying alone. That and the fact that there were no clouds, or even any humidity in the air at all, to keep me energized thanks to my water powers, so the flight had me pretty worn down. As I recovered, I started to walk in the tent, when I felt something brush against my mind, followed by a voice.
"The time has come. The following ponies must gather near the south end of the force field: Celestia, Luna, Cadence, Shining Armor, Twilight Sparkle, Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase, and Dianthia." I realized it was Jetstream's voice, and turned around to walk out, only to be stopped by Cadence.
"You heard it too?" she asked. I nodded. "Allow me." her horn glowed cyan and we instantly found ourselves with all the ponies (and the one Changeling) Jetstream had called for. Twilight was wide awake, though she stayed close to Celestia. She looked worried and tired, but otherwise she was fine. I could feel Spike tensing on my back as he noticed her too.
"Hey, it's all good. Don't worry about Twilight. She's a strong one, and she'll be fine." I whispered, trying to comfort him.
"It's not her physical state I'm worried about. Look at her legs. She's shaking. I know she's trying to hide it, but Twilight's obviously scared out of her mind. I know that physically, she'll recover, but mentally..." Spike trailed off as Jetstream appeared in the middle of the group.
Everypony's attention turned towards the Princess of Lightning as she calmly walked towards the barrier separating the Crystal Empire from the Arctic wastelands around it. Looking behind us, I notice that Jetstream's Thunder Guard had followed her: about five hundred Changelings wearing Jetstream's colors stood at attention, a few of them holding white banners of peace.
"This all looks a little too familiar." I deadpan.
"You thought of Prometheus too, didn't you Seaweed Brain?" Annabeth said, I nodded.
"Who's Prometheus?" asked Spike.
"Prometheus is the Titan of crafty counsel and forethought. He's known for giving humans the gift of fire. He's also the son of Iapetus and Clymene and the brother-in-law of Pandora." Annabeth said in a matter-of-fact way.
"Iapetus..." I chuckle. "Don't you mean Bob?"
Annabeth bursts out laughing, with me quickly joining her. Jetstream stares back at us for a second, and goes back to staring at the barrier.
"It is time. Princess Twilight, If you will, shrink the barrier to the agreed size."
Twilight gulped and nodded.
"Wait." I said, walking up to Twilight. "How about you create a kind of tunnel? An opening in the barrier that stops before the palace? That way we won't have to worry about getting taken from behind or flanked in the fighting."
"That sounds like a better idea indeed. Care to give it a try, Twilight?" asked Celestia.
"I-I-Yes. I can try." she shakily replied.
"Hey, it's OK. You'll be fine." I say, putting a hoof on Twilight's shoulder.
"It's just... This feeling I'm getting. Like we're missing something. I can sense everything that's happening in the Crystal Empire and within a five mile radius around the barrier. All of Chrysalis and Sombra's forces are massed at this end, only a few dozen feet ahead of us. Discord is there too, spying on them. But even with all of that, it still feels like something is missing."
"Kronos? But he's still in Tartarus, re-forming bit by bit." I said.
"I know, but there's something else. I can't put my hoof on it, but I have a feeling Kronos isn't going to be our only problem after Chrysalis and Sombra are dealt with..." Twilight admitted.
"Indeed? That is concerning news, Twilight. But for now, let us focus on the task at hoof, shall we?" said Luna.
"Right." Twilight said, a little more confidently. Closing her eyes, I see the air ahead of our group ripple and a strange tingle running down my spine.
"What was that?" Spike asked.
"That was the barrier retracting. Look over there." Jetstream pointed.
Along the horizon, thousands of monsters and Changelings were lined up. At the head of the pack, stood a taller figure. Chrysalis.
A confident expression on her face, Jetstream started walking towards the fallen Queen. As the rest of us followed, Discord appeared to my left. In the back of our group, Dianthia frowned. She was either not happy to see Chrysalis, or she was already working on freeing the brainwashed Changelings. Probably both.
A look of disbelief was on Chrysalis' face.
"Jetstream Shimmersky... It has been two millennia since I last saw you. Where have you been hiding all this time?" she demanded.
"That is of little concern at the moment, Chrysalis. We are here to parley, as such, let us do so." Jetstream coldly replied.
"So be it. What are your terms?"
"Our terms are as follows: You will release your subjects from the mind control you placed them under, as it is a violation of Changeling Law, and you will abdicate your crown, which will fall under my rule until a suitable replacement is found. Your subjects will be absolved of their crimes in time, but you, Chrysalis, have dug yourself too deep. You will be stripped of your power and executed for your crimes. If you choose to deny our terms, the we will be at war, and you will be destroyed. Not even Sombra can help you here. Those, are Equestria and the Changeling Nation's terms."
"You call those abominations terms?" Chrysalis spat. "What will my hive receive? What is the benefit for us, if we surrender?"
"Your subjects will be free of your tyranny and will prosper under my rule, and under the rule of the hive's chosen successor afterwards. You, on the other hoof, deserve no benefits. You are a murderer and a traitor, and a thief no less. You've sold your mind, body, and soul to a dark spirit, and your are beyond our help. The best thing we can do for you now is kill you, Chrysalis." Jetstream said.
The fallen Queen broke out in a fit of maniacal laughter.
"'The best you can do for me now is kill me'? Then to Tartarus with your terms, Jetstream! You've no idea what I've had to go through over the past two thousand years! I've tried and tried to maintain YOUR treaty, and every time, I was ignored! I even tried contacting the Cantadian government for help! My hive was left to die of starvation! I had to do something! For two millennia I have been fighting to stay alive, fighting to keep my subjects alive! And when I heard that the Princess of Love was getting married, I knew that was my only chance to properly feed my hive, and to make myself noticed by Equestria!"
"There were alternatives! You could've sought a private audience with me, and you could also have moved your hive further south, closer to ponies who would agree to feed you!" Celestia retorted. "But instead you decided to invade our kingdom, infiltrate our capital, foalnap and impersonate not one, but two of our rulers, and launch a full-scale invasion upon our city, during which you've caused massive amounts of pain, destruction, and grief to our civilians!"
A wave of power shook the air around us and Chrysalis shuddered.
"Enough. You are wasting our time at this point. We reject your terms, and you will all die. This Empire was once mine, and mine it shall be once more!" she said. Sombra was speaking though the Queen.
"You've made your choice." said Jetstream, "And now we will take what is rightfully ours." her voice intensified in volume as she used the Royal Canterlot Voice (or as I called it, the Royal Capslock Voice). "Come, dearest subjects! Leave this wretched excuse for a Queen and join us! You are now free of her! Come!" and as she turned to leave, a Changeling rose from the enemy crowd. And then another one, and another, and more flew after her by the dozens, then the hundreds, and finally the thousands. They all joined the Thunder Guard in following Jetstream, as she chanted in the Ancient Language, and they all disappeared in a golden light.
"WHAT?" Traitors! How could you abandon me like this!" Chrysalis called after them, even if they were gone.
"You can't betray someone you're enslaved to. That is the difference between being a leader, and a tyrant like you." Jetstream coldly replied, before teleporting the lot of us away in a burst of silver magic. We were surrounded by Changelings who wore Chrysalis' colors: turquoise carapaces and cyan eyes. A ripple of green magic passed over them as their eyes turned yellow and their carapaces turned silver. Suddenly, they all bowed in unison.
Celestia waved at the rest of us to back away and to let Jetstream and Dianthia handle the situation.
"Shining, ready the troops. I fear Chrysalis will begin the attack now that we've taken almost seven eighths of her hive from her." the Solar Alicorn said, "Cadence, return to the Medical Tents and warn them all that the fighting is about to start. The rest of you, follow me."
As I turned to leave, Jetstream called out:
"Wait, Percy. Stay here for a second. I have a mission for you."
I walk over to the Lightning Alicorn and wait for her to tell me what she wants, but Jetstream's attention was already turned to the Changelings.
"I wish to speak to the one whom can speak on all of your behalves. May whichever one of you who can do this come forward, please." she called.
A small black shape detached itself from the sea of black in front of us. When the Changeling landed, I could easily tell it was much smaller than the others.
"Disgusting." Dianthia said, "Chrysalis made even the younglings fight."
Jetstream nodded grimly. "Indeed. What is your name, little one?" she said gently to the young Changeling.
"A-Asbeth, your highness..."
"Asbeth? It is a pleasure to meet you, Asbeth. Tell me, what is it that makes you the one to speak for the hive?"
"I-I... I was the one chosen to succeed to Chrysalis if.. If ever anything happened to her." the miniature bug-pony said. It was shaking, and obviously terrified of Jetstream. The poor thing.
"You were her successor." Jetstream repeated. Asbeth nodded, and gulped, still shaking.
"Come now, youngling, do not be afraid," Dianthia cooed, "we mean you no harm. We are here to help you. Chrysalis has done many a bad thing to others and she must answer for them. You are not in the wrong here, and that's because she was controlling you." Asbeth stopped shaking, but fear was still very visible in the young changeling's eyes. I felt bad for the little guy. It probably spent it's whole life living in fear, with Chrysalis twisting it's mind and feeding it lies.
"Very well Asbeth. I hereby declare you my second-in-command." Jetstream announced, "But I refuse to let you fight. 'Tis not right for younglings to have to fight in a war. Tell me, are there others?"
"No. I was the only one. Though there are plenty of other younglings back at the hive." Asbeth replied.
"I know where Chrysalis' hive used to be. When this is all over, I will see to it that they are all cared for." declared Dianthia.
"But for the time being, we must get you to safety, youngling. Percy, I want you to escort Asbeth to the Medical Tents. Cadence or Fluttershy will know what to do with... I forgot to ask. What gender do you identify yourself as, Asbeth?" Jetstream said.
"I... never really thought about it." the Changeling replied.
"For the moment, we mean. which do you feel is more appropriate for you right now?" Dianthia asked.
"Well... if I'm in some sort of leadership role, I guess I'd identify myself as a male. Soldiers are usually the higher-ups in Chrysalis' hive, and they're all male. At least... that's what I see myself as right now. I could change my mind." Asbeth said.
"Very well. To rephrase my order: Percy, may I ask you to escort Asbeth to the Medical tents? Fluttershy or Cadence will know what to do with him."
"Sure. All right, c'mon little guy, we should get going." I say to the little Changeling.
He doesn't budge.
"Asbeth, it's all right. Ponies are not your enemies, they are your friends. Percy is a strong and brave pony, he will keep you safe." Jetstream reassured him.
Asbeth edged closer, and I crouched to match his height. He wasn't much taller than Scootaloo was. The Changeling stared into my eyes. I slowly open my wings, careful not to knock Spike off my back. Asbeth mirrors my actions, opening his tiny bug wings. As he walks closer to me, I notice Asbeth isn't captivated by my wings, but rather by my scale-mail shirt. I let him have a closer look.
"What is this?" he asks.
"This is a scale-mail armor shirt made of Celestial Bronze. It helps protect me from attacks." I explain.
"You're going to fight?"
"I have to. We gotta protect Equestria somehow. Anyway, c'mon, we should get going."
The Changeling nodded and we got moving. Along the way I try to keep up some small talk with him.
"So uh, how old are you, Asbeth?" I ask.
"Nine years old, and you?"
He's younger than Nyx, but older than Screwball. Still way too young to be sent to war though...
"I'm seventeen."
Spike also tried talking to him, with a little more success. As we walked, the little dragon kept Asbeth entertained with a few stories of his adventures with Twilight. I'd seen some of them in episodes before, but some others obviously never made the cut. It was as we neared the Medical Tents that something stopped me.
"Psst! Percy! Over here!" a voice whispered loudly.
I turn to the source of the noise.
"Asbeth, stay behind me." I warn. Whatever was calling for me, I wasn't gonna take any chances.
"Come here, Percy!" the voice said.
I edge closer to the source of the voice. Suddenly, two foals pop out from between the houses we were walking past.
"Nyx and Screwball. What took you two so long?" I deadpan.
"Hey, getting here wasn't really easy, you know. We had to teleport in jumps to make it over here." Nyx protested.
"We've been in the Empire for two hours, now. You can't have taken that long. You're used to long-distance teleporting, what with all your trips between Ponyville, Canterlot, and Whitetail Meadows." I said.
"Yeah, but never so far north as the Crystal Empire!" Screwball chimes in. "We probably sat for, like, half an hour, just to get enough breath back to stand up."
"And now you're here." I said. I turn to Asbeth. "It's okay, these two fillies are friends of mine. Screwball here is Jetstream's daughter."
He didn't look too impressed. Then I remembered: Changelings are usually all children of the Queen. I lean in close to Asbeth and whisper:
"Ponies tend to raise families with only a few foals. Screwball is Jetstream's only child." Asbeth's eyes widen a little. A better reaction than the first one, at least.
"Hey Percy, who's that?" Nyx asked.
I gently push the young Changeling in front of me.
"This is Asbeth. Princess Jetstream asked me to escort him to the Medical Tents."
"What for? He doesn't look hurt." Screwball noted.
"Your mom made Asbeth her right-hoof-Changeling after taking Chrysalis' hive as her own. He was meant to replace Chrysalis if anything ever happened to her, but seeing as he's a little young to be fighting, she wanted me to bring him here for Cadence and Fluttershy to watch over him." I replied.
"We can keep an eye on him." Nyx offered.
"Yeah, and maybe make him our friend!" Screwball added.
That sounded like a much better idea than leaving Asbeth with Cadence and Fluttershy. Don't get me wrong, I like them both, it's just that Cadence is busy what with being the Head Medic in the tents, having an unborn foal to care for, and, though she doesn't like to admit it, a slight phobia of Changelings. Fluttershy on the other hoof, would either freak out and overload him with love, what with being a young Changeling and all, which would probably scare him, or she'd freak out and hide away in fear of him. At that point Asbeth would sense Fluttershy's fear and it would probably amplify his own terror of ponies.
Meanwhile, if I left him with Nyx and Screwball, the three of them would keep out of trouble, and probably become friends. The Chaos filly and Nightmare filly would make for an interesting trio with a young Changeling. And they'd probably teach Asbeth to not be scared of ponies, too, which would be a big plus for everypony involved.
"Alright then. Asbeth, you should go with them. Don't worry, they'll keep you safe, and maybe even entertained. War isn't a place for younglings like you three, so maybe you'd be able to help out in some other way." I say.
The Changeling nodded and walked over to the two fillies.
"On the subject of helping out, Percy, we have something for you." Screwball said.
"Oh?"
"Yeah, check it out!" Nyx said, pulling a pair of... silver claws? A pair of silver claws out of her saddlebags. They looked big enough to fit my hooves.
"Try them on!" Screwball urged.
I look at the claws for a second. How was I gonna get them on my hooves? Then an idea popped into my head.
"Spike, help me out?" I asked. the little dragon hopped off my back and picked up a claw.
"These look familiar... Nyx? Are these what I think they are?" he asked.
The Alicorn filly had a guilty expression on her face. "Yes..."
"You know Twilight's not gonna be happy when she finds out you just gave your Playing Claws away, right?" Spike insisted.
"I know, but right now Percy needs them more than I do!" Nyx protested.
"Playing Claws?" I ask.
"Just try 'em on. You'll get it when you use them." Screwball said.
I stretch out a hoof for Spike to secure the Claw on it. A perfect fit, and as soon as the Claw was in place, blue lights started passing over it. The Claw's fingers immediately curl into a fist. Struggling to keep my balance on three legs, I sit down.
"How does it work?" I ask.
"Try moving the claws as if they were part of you." Spike suggested, demonstrating with his own little hand.
I concentrate for a second, and will for the Claw to open. Instantly, they respond. Cool.
I spend the next minute or so trying out my new mechanical hand, before leaning forward to grab the second Claw and put it on. the same blue light glows from the second Claw and I try to move it, with happy success.
"Good," Nyx said, "the Claws are calibrated to you now. But you won't be able to walk with them like that. You can retract the claws by thinking the words "transport mode".
I give it a shot, and the metal fingers retract, turning the things into a pair glowing silver bracers.
"And to bring the claws back out, think "playing mode"." Screwball added.
Again, I try it, and it works. Then I got an idea.
I spread my wings and flap them a few times to get some air, and land on my hind hooves, keeping my wings open for balance. Then, I reached for Riptide and grasped it with a Claw, pulling it free from the scabbard. I give the sword a few test swings, careful not to touch the foals. All three of them, along with Spike stared in amazement as I practiced a bit of human-style swordplay, modified to accommodate my wings and the way my forelegs bent compared to arms. With only a few differences, I could fight almost exactly like before.
"You two are freaking geniuses." I exclaim. "Oh.. uh.. don't tell your mothers I used that one word, by the way."
The two fillies nodded in unison.
"We're glad you like them, Percy. Playing Claws are very rare and expensive. They're used by non-unicorn ponies to manipulate objects easier. Usually to play musical instruments or grip small objects. I don't have any use for them anymore, seeing as I can use magic and I don't play music. But please Percy, take good care of them. Mom would kill me if she found out I gave them away, and they ended up breaking." Nyx said.
"I promise. No, I Pinkie Promise." I said, doing the gestures with my new "hands", careful not to poke my eye out with a finger. Deep down in the corner of my mind I hear Pinkie saying "Forever!" with a threatening look on her face. I wonder if that always happens when somepony makes a Pinkie Promise. Noting to myself to look into it later, I sheathe Riptide and leave the claws in Transport Mode.
"Well, I should really get going. The fighting's gonna start any minute now, and we should really be there to support the others. Hop on, Spike." I said, and the little dragon takes his seat. I take one last look at Asbeth, who waves with a hoof and smiles, and I take off.
I can see our forces massed along the battlefield, and the barrier shimmers ad it keeps our enemies out. I quickly land next to Luna and Annabeth, who flashed me a quick, confident look. then the barrier slips further behind us, and I can see our enemies again. The Battle for the Crystal Empire had begun.
It was a fact that was generally agreed on by both Roman and Greek Demigods alike. They always took turns towards the scary, creepy, confusing, or just downright weird. The fourth category was what Jason was having tonight. It was with lots of reluctance, and a little charmspeaking from Piper, ("No fair!" Jason had moaned.) that he went to bed that night. It had been two days, now, that Percy and Annabeth fell to Tartarus, two days since they got an Iris-message from Grover telling them about how Percy and Annabeth were now stuck in a magical land full of talking ponies. Jason hadn't believed him, but when Grover mentioned the name of the place, Equestria, Nico flipped out, saying that they won't have to worry about Percy for a while. That naturally made Jason worry even more.
Tonight's dream was odd. Jason found himself doing random things in random places, sometimes reliving both good and bad moments of his life, sometimes seeing what he thought was important moments of others' lives. Finally, the roller coaster dream ride stopped, and Jason found himself standing in a vast and empty white space, with a dark gateway floating in front of him.
*It's a trap. Don't go near that thing.* Jason's mind was yelling.
The problem is, he didn't have to. The doorway was coming towards him, and he couldn't move. Jason's vision faded to black for a moment, and then a light winked into existence. The light expanded, and Jason found himself floating above a large plain. the sun was shining bright, and behind him stood a massive spear of crystal, reaching straight for the sky. Some sort of commotion could be heard further away, and Jason turned his attention towards it. A war was going on, it seemed.
Jason floated his way over to the battle. He easily recognized the participants one side of the battle: Telkhines and dracanea for the most part, and a few other monsters Jason couldn't remember seeing. Opposing the monsters, Jason couldn't believe his eyes, were small horses of all colors, some of them even had wings or horns.
*Not horses, ponies. They're too small to be horses.* Jason thought.
A yell came from below him, and he looked down.
"Percy, to your left!" the voice said.
A deep blue pony with wings turned to it's left and slashed at the telkhine that was harassing him, vaporizing it.
"Spike, behind you!" the pony called back.
A burst of green flame parted the ocean of monsters for a few seconds as the flames passed by, vaporizing everything in it's path. The source was a little purple lizard.
*It breathes fire, so it must be a dragon.*
Then it clicked in Jason's head. The dragon had called his pony partner "Percy", and the Percy pony sounded exactly like his friend Percy. Squinting to get a closer look, Jason noticed the sword the pony was using. It looked exactly like Riptide.
*No way. It IS Percy!* Jason realized. *So if Percy is here than Annabeth mustn't be too far off...*
And so the search began. After flying for a few minutes, Jason found a baby-blue pony, this one with a horn, fighting with a knife that looked like Annabeth's. The heads-up the pony next to her, a midnight blue pony with both a horn and wings, who was larger than the others, confirmed Jason's suspicions.
"Annabeth, I must retreat for a moment. Something is present in our dreamscape, something unfamiliar to me. I must see to it that it does not mean us any harm." Annabeth nodded, levitating her knife in a wider arc to give the larger pony some cover to back away.
*I wish I could talk to them.* Jason thought, *That way I'd be able to tell them how we're doing...* his thought was interrupted by a clear voice coming from behind him.
"Now I understand what I sensed. Your energy if both familiar and alien to me."
Jason wheeled around to see the same midnight blue pony who had backed away from the fighting below.
"A warm welcome to you, Jason Grace." the pony added.
"How do you know who I am? And who are you?" Jason asked.
"Your friends Percy and Annabeth have told me about you, and the others as well. Leo, Piper, Hazel, Frank, and Nico. As for me, my name is Luna, I am the Princess of the Moon and of the Night."
"I'm sorry, Princess, but I'm not exactly familiar with how your politics work." Jason said plainly.
"It's rather simple, really. There are currently five Princesses governing Equestria. My older sister, Celestia, is the Princess of the Sun and of the Day, our adoptive niece, Cadence, is the Princess of Love, my sister's former pupil, Twilight Sparkle, is the Princess of Magic, and my closest friend, Jetstream Shimmersky, is the Princess of Lightning. We each have our own individual roles in our society. Mine is to raise and the set the moon and the stars and bring out the night. I am also responsible for watching over Equestria's dreamscape. I can dreamwalk, you see. It is the practice of entering the dreams of others and possibly manipulating said dreams for the comfort of the dreamer." Luna explained.
"So when you said you sensed something odd in the dreamscape, you meant me?" Jason asked.
"Indeed. It is unusual for anypony, or in this case anybody to find themselves in the dreamscape at this time. In Equestria, it is the same time of day everywhere. The only ones who are usually asleep at this time are my personal subjects, a colony of bat ponies who live in the caves underneath our capital, Canterlot. To find an individual such as yourself was, as a result, all the easier." Luna replied.
Jason thought for a moment, curiously observing the Moon Princess as he did.
"Tell me more about you ponies. I see some with wings, others with horns, some with neither, and you have both." Jason said.
"It's delightful that we can exchange information like this. Allow me to explain: There are four types of ponies in Equestria. There are Earth Ponies, who have neither wings nor horn, Unicorns, who have a horn, Pegasi, who have wings, and finally, the rarest type, Alicorns, who possess both a horn and wings. Earth Ponies have enhanced physical strength, Unicorns can use magic with their horns, and Pegasi can fly. Alicorns are a perfect balance of the three, and as such benefit of all three types of pony magic. Alicorns are also eternal, meaning we will live on forever, so long as we can endure, for fault of a better term. I we are not killed by sickness or weapon, or otherwise, we live forever. Annabeth has actually made a connection between Alicorns and the gods of your world." Luna explained.
"Huh." Jason said, having only caught about half of what the Lunar Princess had said.
"You zoned out, didn't you?" Luna deadpanned. Jason lowered his head, guilty. "'Tis fine. I'm aware of you demigods' inability to focus for very long. Annabeth claims that only a few demigods, such as herself, can even come close to staying focused on one subject for more than a few dozen minutes, let alone a few hours. But tell me, Preator Grace, how different is life as a Roman demigod as opposed to a Greek?" she asked.
"Well, I've lived in both for a while, so I can at least compare. Camp Jupiter is actually a city, rather than a summer camp like Camp Half-Blood. Roman demigods live in a more strict, more disciplined style of life. The way of the Legion, I like to call it. We Romans live in a more traditional style of life compared to the Greeks. Camp Half-Blood's lifestyle is way more laid-back and comfortable, though it's not as sophisticated as Camp Jupiter's. Over at Camp Jupiter, we have schools and colleges for demigods of all ages, and unlike Camp Half-Blood, where most demigods are first-generation, not to mention all aged anywhere between twelve and eighteen, the demigods at Camp Jupiter are of just about any ages, and are first, second, third, even fourth generation demigods." Jason explained.
"When you speak of "generations" what do you mean?" Luna asked.
"It's simple. First generation demigods are direct children of the gods and of a mortal parent. Every following generation are the descendants of those first generation demigods. Children, grandchildren, even great-grandchildren in a few cases. Also, Camp Jupiter has it's own miniature version of the Roman Legion. The Twelfth Legion of Old Rome survived the fall of the Roman Empire and made it's way over to America, where they founded Camp Jupiter at the gods' request." Jason said.
"Fascinating..." commented Luna, "But tell me, what is your current situation against the Earth Goddess, what was her name? Gaea? Annabeth has told me about how she's trying to take over your world and destroy Olympus."
Jason hesitated. This was still some valuable information in the hands of his enemies. But then again, if he couldn't trust this princess, who could he trust? After a minute's debate, he opened up.
"Right now we're trying to figure out how to cross Italy's western mountain range. The problem is, every time we try to approach them, we're intercepted by some very territorial wind spirits. We have about two weeks to reach Eprius and close the Doors of Death, and then head to Greece to confront Gaea in person and stop her from awakening. And to top it off, we still don't know what to do with the Athena Parthenos, the statue we recovered thanks to Annabeth." Jason sighed.
"It is known to me that you do not have access to magic the way we ponies do, therefore I could not suggest you to get through with the aid of such magic. However I am certain you will find a way to achieve your goal. If there's anything I've learned from Percy and Annabeth, it is that you demigods are very resourceful creatures." Luna said.
The fighting below went on, as ponies fought waves upon waves of monsters. After a while, Annabeth's voice rang from the crowd.
"What's taking Luna so long? Maybe something's happened to her in the dreamscape..."
"Looks like they're getting worried about you." Jason noted.
"They are. I must be going, but first, I've a gift for you, Jason, if you would accept it." Luna said, holding a small box in her magical grip.
Jason opened the box, and found a silver chain with a crescent moon attached to it, and underneath the chain, was a large photograph.
"For me?" Jason asked, "What is it?"
"That's a Lunar Charm. So long as you wear it, your vision at night will be as clear as that of day, yet the moon and the stars will be as visible as the cloudless nights can offer. Also, this photograph is a gift from Percy and Annabeth, and all of their pony friends, to you and your companions. Simply place a finger upon a pony to receive information on him or her."
Jason gave it a shot, putting his index on the dark blue pegasus in the front row.
Percy Jackson, Age 17
Percy is the demigod son of Poseidon, Greek God of the Seas. He hails from a dimension vastly different from Equestria, and despite him only having been a pony for four months, he is already well respected in Ponyville's community as a skilled flier and an accomplished weather pony. Percy specializes in rainclouds and has a powerful gift revolving around water.
"Woah. That's amazing." Jason said. "Thank you so much, Princess."
"I'm glad you like it. But now, I must go. Perhaps we will meet again someday, Jason Grace. Farewell."
"Wait! Tell Percy and Annabeth that we're doing okay for me!" Jason called after her.
"I will. When I exit the dreamscape, however, you will awaken, and you will find your gifts in your arms. Good luck, and we shall see you at the Doors of Death." Luna called back, before fading away. Then, everything was black. Jason could hear the dull thrum of the Argo II's engines, and a light tapping at his door. Someone was knocking.
Getting up, Jason immediately noticed Luna's gifts on his sheets. Picking up the charm, Jason gently put it on, marveling at the craftsmanship. Looking out the window, he could see the starry sky, but the landscape below was as clear as day. Someone knocked at the door again, and called:
"Jason, are you awake?" It was Hazel.
"Yeah, I'm up. I'm coming." Jason opened the door, finding Hazel in her nightgown standing there.
"What's up?" he asked.
"The wind spirits are getting mean again. Could you try talking to them one more time?"
Jason sighed. "Alright. Say, how long was I asleep for?" he asked.
"Only about three minutes or so. Sorry to interrupt you, by the way." Hazel replied.
*Three minutes? Then I must've spent hours talking to Luna...* "Hey, don't sweat it. I'll be on deck in a sec, 'kay?"
Hazel nodded and ran back down the hallway, and up the stairs.
*Looks like we'd better get this sorted out.Again.* Jason grumbled internally.
We were in all-out war. That's all I could think of as I quickly levitated my trusty knife left, right, front, and center, taking out monsters with every strike. This was like the Battle of Manhattan, only more in the open, and maybe a dozen times more monsters to kill, and a few thousand times more fighters on our side. Oh and the fact that I was a magical talking pony fighting alongside thousands of other magical talking ponies, some of them my friends, as well as their bug-like counterparts. Jetstream had managed to pull away all but a handful (hoof-full?) of Chrysalis' changeling servants and put them to our service, which was nice. I hadn't actually spoken to any of Jetstream's new subjects, though. They kept mostly to themselves, or looked to the Thunder Guard for advice. Then again I was a little too busy fighting Telkhines or dracanae to really have a good chat with any of them.
To be honest, I hadn't really spoken to anypony at all since the fighting started, except for a few occasional heads-up calls to those fighting near me. I probably spent the first hour or so fighting alongside Luna, who had to back away to check on something in the dreamscape. It took a while for her to come back, even though she said everything was fine and she'd explain everything later. In the meantime I stuck to helping out these two guards from the Equestrian Army. On my left was a tall, strongly built Earth Pony stallion named Iron Hoof. He held well to his name, using Celestial Bronze plated hoof covers to punch through monsters foolish enough to come near him. He was quick as a whip, and pretty smart too, though he didn't talk much. On my right was a smaller pony, about my size. It was a unicorn mare named Fire Star. She had lightning-fast reflexes and swung her Celestia Bronze rapier with her magic so fast I could barely see the bronze blur that was the blade. Fire Star was a little more talkative, and she had sharp wits. Apparently, she was the head officer of the Trottingham Royal Guard. I could definitely see how she got there.
After noticing Luna return, I quickly fell back to ask her about the dreamscape.
"It was nothing bad." she had said, "It appears that you demigods are capable of hopping across dimensions in your dreams. Our dreamscape received the visit of none other than your friend, Jason Grace."
My jaw would've hit the ground and left a thirty-foot wide crater if it wasn't so well attached to my skull.
"W-w-WHAT?" I cried out, "Jason came to Equestria? How was he doing? What did he say? Did he-"
"Jason was fine, Annabeth. He wanted me to tell you and Percy not to worry about him and the others. They are currently trying to find a way across a mountain range near the west coast of... what was it called? Italy? Yes, that's it, Italy. Apparently there are wind spirits that keep giving them grief every time they try." Luna interrupted. "However, we should focus on our victory over these bloodthirsty beasts rather than idly talking." she added as she readied her Celestial Bronze lance with magic, and charged into the fray.
And so the fighting went on. I ended up back to back with Applejack after a while. The farmpony was a very powerful fighter, using her plated hooves in much the same way as Iron Hoof did. Years of applebucking definitely helped her out in terms of endurance and strength. I also caught a few glimpses of Rainbow Dash, completely clad in Celestial Bronze armor, flying through crowds of monsters like a living bronze torpedo, leaving nothing but rainbows and monster dust in her wake. I also saw Pinkie Pie fighting with her party cannon, which was apparently loaded with bronze confetti and streamers, kind of like Percy's mom and the shotgun she pulled out of a random police car and killed monsters with back in the Battle of Manhattan. I kept fighting for over five hours nonstop. by the end of that time, my horn was throbbing and a dull headache pounded my skull. I fell back, warning my comrades-in-arms that I was going to rest a little. I made my way over to the Crystal Heart, where Twilight was still standing. Her wings were flared stiff and worry tainted her expression. I could tell that she didn't like what she was sensing all over the battlefield.
"Twilight?" I said, "Are you alright?"
The purple Alicorn's lower lip quivered a bit, and she croaked: "No..." Twilight looked like an absolute wreck. I quickly wrapped her in a tight hug, holding her close and whispering comforting words in her ear.
"What's the matter?" I asked.
"I... I can sense everything that's happening on the battlefield right now. All the pain, all the fear, the anger, even the sadistic pleasure some of the fighters of both sides are expressing. It's overwhelming, and it's scary..." she trailed off.
"Hey, it's OK. We're winning, aren't we? It's all good, relax. Try to ignore it."
"If only it was so easy. I need something to keep me busy, like research or reading. Anything to take my mind off of the fighting going on."
I thought about it for a second.
"Well there's this form of communication from my world that I'd like try out here. It's called Iris-Messaging, I might have mentioned it before." I said.
"You did, three or four times, anyway. But you've never gotten into detail about it. What is Iris-Messaging anyway?"
"Basically what it does is allow you to contact anyone anywhere through the use of rainbows. All you have to do is toss a golden drachma or denarius into a rainbow and chant a phrase, and then to specify who you want to see. I'll try three tests: short-distance, long-distance, and inter-dimensional. I start by contacting Cadence in the medical tents with it, then somepony in Equestria, and finally my friends in my world."
Ignoring my twinging horn, I magically remove three golden drachmas from my saddlebags.
"All I need is a rainbow." I added, "But where to find one?" I turn my attention to the Crystal Heart. Having been energized by pure Harmony magic, the heart gave off a multicolored glow, more than enough to use as a receptor for an Iris-Message. I take one coin and fling it at the Heart with magic.
"Oh Iris, goddess of the Rainbow, please accept my offering." I recited, and the drachma melted into the Crystal Heart.
"Did it work?" Twilight asked.
"Only one way to find out." I muttered. "Show me Mi Amore Cadenza, Princess of Love."
A screen formed in front of the Heart, and on it was Cadence talking to a medic pony.
"Cadence!" Twilight called.
The pink Alicorn turned around, noticing Twilight and myself.
"Twilight? And Annabeth? What's going on? And how can I see you two?" she asked, visibly confused.
"It's a little something from my world called Iris-Messaging. Don't touch the projection, or you'll sever the connection. It's a magical communication service used by demigods and gods in my world. Turns out it works in Equestria too, at least in short distances. We've yet to find out if it works in long-distance contacts or even from one dimension to another."
"Interesting." commented Cadence. "Is there anything you two would need? I'm asking because you look terrible Twilight. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, as long as I can keep my mind off what I sense in the Empire until the fighting ends. So what have you been up to Cadence?" Twilight said, apparently trying to change the subject.
"Right now we're trying to experiment with dracanae venom to see if we can make medicine out of it. We haven't really gotten many patients up until now, and most of them were just bites or scratches that didn't want to risk poisoning. Zecora is the one in charge of the potion-making, and we have a couple Changelings doing the testing. Turns out they're immune to most poisons, so they were happy to volunteer for it." explained Cadence.
"I hope you saved me a few vials of that venom, I'd like to have a look for myself after the war ends." Twilight said.
"I was one step ahead of you on that one, Twilight. I saved you a whole jug full for you to experiment on." Cadence laughed.
A brief silence hung in the air with the three of us smiling and giggling like school kids. It was quickly interrupted by a high-pitched voice saying:
"Aunty Cadence! We're back with the ingredients you asked for!"
Cadence turned to look at something off-screen, and returned her attention to us after about a minute, followed by three foals, two of which I instantly recognized. The third however, looked like a miniature Changeling.
"Nyx and Screwball." I deadpanned, "What a surprise. What took you two so long to get here anyway? The fighting's been on for over six hours now."
"We've been here the whole time. We've mostly been helping out around the medical tents." Nyx explained. Turning to her mother, she added: "And not fighting. Not directly at least."
"Not directly? Dear Nyx, would you care to elaborate?" Twilight asked.
"You never saw the giant Celestial Bronze squeaky hammer smashing monsters repeatedly?" Screwball asked in return.
"I did, and I sensed it too. But that was your father, Screwball." Twilight said.
"Nope. It was me. Dad is too busy spying on Chrysalis to fight right now." Screwball proudly replied.
"Do you know what your mother would say if she found out?" Twilight asked.
"She'd praise my initiative and tell me to keep going." the chaotic filly replied smugly.
Twilight groaned in frustration, and I laughed. It wasn't every day that Twilight was forced to eat her own words like that, especially by an eight-year-old filly.
"So what are you doing, Mom?" asked Nyx to change the subject.
"We're studying a form of communication magic from Annabeth's world. We'll be contacting somepony far away after this and then try to contact one of Annabeth's demigod friends." Twilight explained.
"That sounds cool! Can we help?" Screwball asked.
"I won't need much help, but you can come watch if you want. Bring that little Changeling with you. I don't think we've been introduced yet." I replied.
Suddenly, the three of them turned pitch black and melted into the ground, reappearing a few feet away from where Twilight and I were standing. The shadows dissipated to reveal the large grins on Nyx and Screwball's faces, and the nervous one on the Changeling's. I slowly approach the little bug-like pony and kneel to meet it's eyes with my own.
"And what's your name?" I asked.
"I'm Asbeth. I'm meant to be the next in line to Chrysalis' throne, but Queen Jetstream said it would take time for me to get there." it replied.
"Mom told Percy to keep an eye on Asbeth to make sure nothing bad happens to him. But we convinced Percy to let us take Asbeth with us instead." Screwball explained.
"I see." I said. "Well you'd better sit tight for a sec." I turned my attention back to Cadence, who was waiting patiently for us.
"We're done with the short-distance test. Thanks, Cadence." I added.
"Take care, you two." the pink Alicorn responded."
Passing my hoof through the projection, I ended the contact, and grabbed the second drachma.
"Want to try it?" I asked Twilight.
"Sure. I remember the formula, and I know who to contact." she replied, taking the drachma with her own magic and tossing it into the Crystal Heart's rainbow.
"Oh Iris, Goddess of the Rainbow, please accept my offering." Twilight recited. "Show me Zevan the Changeling, also known as Whirring Cogs."
The drachma befell the same fate as the one before it, and another screen appeared. This time a grey pegasus with an electric blue mane and a small foal swaddled in a blanket appeared. The pegasus immediately noticed us.
"Twilight! It's good to see you again." he said.
"It's good to see you too, Cogs. You wanted a progress report, so here goes: The fighting's been on for about six hours now, and so far things are looking up for us. Chrysalis and Sombra seem to be intent on sitting at the back of their rapidly shrinking army." Twilight said.
"That's great news! But tell me, how are we communicating right now?" Cogs asked.
"It's a form of communication from my world called "Iris-Messaging". We're testing it out to see if we could possibly contact those of my friends who are still in my world." I explained.
"You must be Annabeth then. A pleasure to meet you. I'm Zevan, a Changeling, but I prefer to go by my pony name, Whirring Cogs. This little one is my daughter Dandelion Dreams. My wife, Lavender Dreams, is busy tending her herb shop next door, and I have the day off, so I'm taking care of Dandy." said Cogs.
"It's a pleasure to meet you too, Cogs. I'm guessing you know me through my boy... er, coltfriend, Percy?" I asked.
"I sure do. Percy's an interesting one, he is. I especially remember that sword of his. My flank is still sore from that, Twilight, by the way." Cogs replied, throwing in a little accusative tone to the last part.
"Anyway, who's that behind you two? They've been watching for a while now." he added.
Twilight and I shifted out of the way to let the two fillies and the little Changeling through.
"Hi Mr. Cogs!" the fillies called in unison.
"If it isn't Nyx and Screwball." Cogs laughed, "I should've known you'd be over there helping your moms out. And who's this little one?" he asked, looking at Asbeth with a curious expression.
Asbeth looked at his two friends nervously, and said:
"My name is Asbeth. I was meant to be Chrysalis' successor if ever anything happened to her, but that's on hold for now, with Queen Jetstream in charge of the hive until I'm old enough."
"Chrysalis' hive is gone?" Cogs said, surprised.
"Jetstream's conversion plan came through. All but a couple dozen Changelings from Chrysalis' hive are now Jetstream's subjects, including Asbeth." Twilight explained.
"That explains the different eye and carapace colors." Cogs mused, "I don't even know if mine changed or not."
"Then show us." Asbeth said. "You're a Changeling too, aren't you? Show us your natural form."
"Youngling, I've grown accustomed to pony society, and I've come to love it very much. The evidence to that is sitting in my forelegs as we speak. For all I know and care, my pony form is my natural form." Cogs explained.
"You know what I meant. Revert to your Changeling form, please?" Asbeth pressed.
A few moments of hesitation later, Cogs set down his foal and got up from the couch he was laying on. A ball of green flames enveloped the pegasus, and when it faded, a simple Changeling drone was standing where Cogs had been. It shared the same manestyle as him, which was his distinguishing mark.
"There. I don't like being in this form more than I have to. I just feel so... exposed when I use it." Zevan said.
"I'm sorry to have caused you that grief, Mr. Cogs, but I had to know. I can see you are unaffected by the hive change, however." Asbeth replied.
"It's nothing. My guess would be that I retained my old coloring because I cut myself off from Chrysalis' hivemind long before the switch took place. I've been an independent Changeling for nearly two years, now." Zevan explained.
"It must feel depressing to be so alone..." said Asbeth in a sad tone.
"It was a shock at first, but I got used to it. It's actually kind of nice to have one's own thoughts to themselves. It actually helps see one's own emotions without interference. I came to realize that way that we are not so different from ponies in that sense. Any independent Changeling like myself could be considered a pony in all but blood, and possibly even considered a fifth pony type. It's incredible how welcoming ponies can be." Zevan commented.
"Only in Equestria and it's closer neighbors would you ever find that kind of tolerance." I added. "If it were like that in my world, there would be no such thing as war. Many countries back home are always tearing each other apart over beliefs or scraps of "sacred land" or other stuff like that. It's sad, really."
Twilight nodded.
"Well the long-distance test was a success. Thanks Cogs, you can return to your pegasus form. We'll leave you to Dandelion." she said with a smile.
A green flame flashed on the screen as Zevan became Whirring Cogs once more. The pegasus returned Twilight's smile.
"Happy to help, Twilight. You five take care now, okay?" he replied.
"Will do! Bye Cogs!" Twilight said, before passing a hoof through the projection, dissipating it.
A light silence hung in the air for a few minutes. Naturally, I had to break it, before it got awkward.
"Well, onto the main attraction. Now we find out whether or not we can Iris-Message someone who is in another dimension." I said, taking the third golden drachma in my magical grip. My horn was still sore, but the throbbing and the headache had faded.
I tossed the coin into the rainbow, watching it dissolve like the others had.
"Oh, Iris, Goddess of the Rainbow, please accept my offering."
I paused for a second, taking a deep breath.
"Show me Leo Valdez, son of Hephaestus, and captain of the Argo II."
Nothing happened for a good minute. I was about ready to give up, when a screen appeared like before. An image flickered to life and I saw someone hunched over a workbench. It looked dark outside, so Leo was probably pulling another all-nighter. He did that a lot on the way to Rome.
"It looks late over there." Twilight commented, "I'd bet Luna wouldn't see much of this guy in the dreamscape." I giggled.
Leo didn't react, he was too absorbed by his work. At this point nothing would distract him, unless...
"Twilight or Nyx, can either of you use the Royal Canterlot Voice?" I asked.
"I've been practicing, but I haven't quite nailed it yet." Twilight replied.
"I can do it! I have some of Luna's memories and knowledge too, including the Voice. Let me try!" Nyx exclaimed.
"Alright, here's what i want you to yell: Valdez, turn around, it's rude to keep magical talking ponies waiting. Can you do that?"
Nyx nodded and turned to the projection. The Alicorn filly inhaled, her pupils shrinking, and let out a powerful blast of sound in the form of words. Sound which could certainly be heard all over the battlefield, were it not for the soundproof force field Twilight conjured up seconds before. The result was just as expected. Leo jumped, nearly hit the ceiling and whirled around, staring at the projection. He rubbed his eyes with his grease-covered hands, leaving two black spots around his eyes, making him look like a raccoon.
"Woah. I gotta get more sleep. I'm seeing things." Leo muttered.
"If only you were, Valdez." I replied. "We're really here. Maybe you recognize my voice?"
Leo paused for a minute.
"Annabeth? That you?" he stuttered.
"Sure is. Go get the others, we have to talk."
* * *
"Jason wasn't kidding..." Piper said, an astonished look on her face. "First was Grover's message, then Jason bringing back a necklace and a photograph from his dreams, and now this. What's that world like? Are you and Percy okay? Jason said you were in the middle of your own war, how is it coming along?"
Jason put a hand on her shoulder.
"Simmer down, Pipes. Let the good ponies answer." he calmly said.
I silently thanked Jason. It felt weird enough having my friends seeing me like this. At least Jason understood something, according to Luna. Nico didn't seem too surprised either, for that matter.
I took a deep breath and told them about everything that had happened to Percy and I since we last met. I tried to stay down to the detail in as many places as I could.
"... and as for the war we're in, we've been fighting for about seven hours now. So far it looks like we're winning this thing, too." I concluded.
My friends sat there, all of them slack jawed, except Jason who knew all that already. He did raise an eyebrow a few times though so he obviously listened.
Twilight cleared her throat.
"I'd hate to interrupt this nice reunion, Annabeth, but I don't think we've been properly introduced to your human friends." she said.
"Right." I replied. "Well, this is Jason Grace, son of Jupiter, Zeus' Roman form. To his right is Piper McLean, daughter of Aphrodite and Jason's girlfriend. In the middle is Leo Valdez, son of Hephaestus, behind Leo is Frank Zhang, son of Mars, the Roman form of Ares. And on the left is Nico di Angelo, son of Hades, and Hazel Levesque, daughter of Pluto, Hades' Roman form. The grumbling you hear in the background is from our resident satyr, Gleeson Hedge. But we like to call him Coach." I explained.
Just then, the old satyr jumped out from behind Frank.
"Who called me?" he said, a wild look in his eyes.
"Over here, Coach." I replied.
"What in the world..." he started.
"It's me, Annabeth." I added.
"Yeah, yeah. Grover went over the details. You and Percy are magical talking ponies stuck in an alternate dimension and can't find a way out. Time doesn't usually flow the same between our two worlds, so even though it's been a few days since you fell to Tartarus on our end, you've been in that pony land of yours for months now. I ran the math back and forth with Grover. Time flows exactly fifty-two times faster in your world than it does here. One week here is a year there." Coach grumbled. "Unless the two worlds make contact. Like this here Iris-Message for example."
Silence hung heavy in the air for a few awkward minutes. It was Leo who finally broke it.
"Wow, Coach. Didn't think you'd be the type to do math. Or research. Or smart stuff in general."
"Valdez!" Coach barked. "Why I oughta..."
"Anyway!" I cut in, "I've introduced my friends from home, why don't you do the same?" I asked Twilight.
Twilight shook her head.
"Right. My name is Twilight Sparkle. I'm..."
"The Princess of Magic. You're also the youngest of five princesses, and second youngest Alicorn pony. The youngest being your adoptive daughter, Nyx, who's standing behind you with her friend Screwball, who is the daughter of the middle Alicorn, Jetstream Shimmersky, the Princess of Lightning." Nico interrupted.
Twilight's jaw slacked.
"How... How did you know that?" she asked.
"Annabeth may have mentioned how your world is shown to us in a children's television show?" Nico explained, "Well that show has a huge fandom of it's own. People who exceed the show's intended demographic for the most part. Both Nyx and Princess Jetstream are considered "Original Characters" who were created by fans. By all means, us talking to you now puts us all in a piece of fanfiction rather than the show's cannon. I may live in the darkness of the Underworld for the most part, but even I need a few rainbows and laughs every once in a while to stay sane."
"I think Pinkie would like this guy." Twilight whispered to me.
I nodded, smiling.
"Though I don't think the opposite would be true. Nico isn't the kind of guy who enjoys rainbows and hugs very much." I whispered back.
I turned my attention back to the magical rainbow-Skype.
"Anyway, I think I'd better end the contact. The test was a huge success and I have a war to get back to. I'll tell Percy you said hi." I added.
My friends nodded and made their goodbyes, before I passed my hoof through the projection, causing it to dissipate. I turned back to Twilight and the foals.
"We should get back to work. We've been sitting here for a little too long." I suggested.
"That would be a good idea, if the fighting wasn't over." Twilight replied, "We've won. All there is left is Chrysalis, and I remember Jetstream wanted to pass judgement herself and kill Chrysalis with her own power."
Just then, the other Alicorns, the Changeling Queens, Discord, Percy and Spike, and the Elements of Harmony all appeared by the Heart. Twilight shielded the Crystal Heart, just in case, because Jetstream had a prisoner. Chrysalis stood tall and proud, with glowing golden shackles binding her hooves.
"The time has come to pass judgement." Jetstream said.
"The time has come to pass judgement." Jetstream repeated, "Truly, I believe it to be a shame that the punishment of torture was abolished eight centuries ago, else I would've made you feel the worst pain you could ever fathom, Chrysalis, and worse even. But in the light of certain, shall we say, legal restrictions, I will instead grant you a quick and unavoidable death."
"You have no right!" the fallen Queen objected, "You cannot make yourself the judge, jury and executioner. In doing so you claim the right to decide who lives, and who dies."
"Silence! You've no right to speak to us as such!. You are a murderer, a traitor, and a thief! You deserve no more common courtesy than a rabid wolf! You are a fork-tongued wretch! You sought to overtake Equestria, you assaulted four of Equestria's princesses, foalnapping three and openly attacking a fourth! You took the identity of one of those princesses and infiltrated her wedding, using the mind-control spell you knew you had no right to use to brainwash the Captain of the Royal Guard! And instead of seeking forgiveness after your defeat you allied yourself with dark powers far beyond your comprehension! You've outstepped your bounds, Chrysalis, and by no small margin. While your subjects will be forgiven, for they were also under your mind-control spell, which again you had no right to know of, much less use, you, Chrysalis, shall die for your crimes."
Everypony gathered sat back and listened to Jetstream and Chrysalis, heads turning back and forth between the princess and the Changeling.
*I can only imagine Jetstream would have been the pony in charge of the justice system if she hadn't been forced into hiding. Then again she probably wouldn't have been anywhere near as powerful as she is now.* Twilight thought. She quietly shared her observation with Luna, who was standing to her left. Luna nodded and commented:
"It was an idea Jetstream and I had been juggling around in the midst of our magical research together. When she became an Alicorn the idea was never lost, however we were both far too busy to discuss it again. After she went missing, I wrote the idea down in the journal I left Celestia before I was banished. Tia admits she liked the idea as well, and suggested it to Cadence some time after she and your brother returned from the Crystal Empire. Your sister-in-law hasn't gotten back to us on the suggestion, however."
"Honestly I'm surprised she hasn't started slipping into the ancient language yet." Annabeth, who stood at Twilight's right, added.
"Just give it a minute." Discord whispered in turn. "After living with her for a few months, I noticed that she does that a lot."
As the draconnequs predicted, Jetstream's speech began slipping towards the ancient language as she went along, and her frustration apparently building, until finally she spoke in full sentences in the language, with Chrysalis and most of the gathered ponies unable to understand her. Twilight, luckily, understood perfectly.
"You've brought pain and misery to countless generations of your own subjects, and yet you were the one who wanted Changelings to become allies with ponies the most. You claimed it would help your subjects grow and flourish, yet when you realized you were on your own, you began to do the very opposite. For that alone, you've lost the right to live. The fact that you attacked Equestria, and allied yourself with the likes of King Sombra, only worsens your case. My verdict is as such: You will die." Jetstream said.
The confused expression on Chrysalis' face did not go unnoticed, however. Jetstream coughed as she realized what just happened.
"To restate myself, I sentence you, Chrysalis, and you, Sombra, to death. However I must grant you one final boon, as is the law. Speak it now." she added.
"If you kill me now, you'll still have my master to contend with! He is more powerful than anything you could possibly imagine! When Lord Tirek learns of this, he will redouble his efforts to be free from Tartarus, and he will burn this world to ashes!" Chrysalis cried. "I ought to strike you down now while I still have the chance!"
"Go ahead, hit me with your best shot." Jetstream snapped back, over the protestations of the other ponies. The only ones who didn't object were Discord and Screwball.
*She's lost it! Sombra's power alone was immense, and with Chrysalis' power added to his, there's no way Jetstream could stand up to it! Unless...* understanding dawned on Twilight, as she realized just what Jetstream had planned.
Darkness gathered around Chrysalis' horn, which crackled with dark energy. With a cry, the fallen queen unleashed a powerful beam of Shadow Magic, that hit Jetstream head-on. The Alicorn recoiled a few inches, but held her ground. Chrysalis redoubled her efforts, but in vain. After about a minute, the energy began to run out. Finally, the fountain of Shadow Magic that poured from the Changeling's horn dried out, leaving her panting heavily. Jetstream, however, remained unharmed. Her entire body shivered as the dark energy settled. Twilight could sense the Shadow Magic radiating from Jetstream.
"But... how?" Chrysalis asked, still panting.
"It's simple, really. Sombra should know about it. The properties of the type of crystal known as katchïn?" Jetstream replied.
Chrysalis shuddered, and when she spoke, her voice was much deeper, much darker. Twilight realized that it was Sombra speaking.
"It is said that this particular kind of crystal cannot be broken, and can absorb magic of any kind to be stored for later use. It was theorized that a creature with katchïn as part of it's body would be able to absorb any magic directed at it, and, if they so chose, retaliate with it. However unless there was some form of... incompatibility... in the creature's genetic makeup that prevented use of the form of magic in question, the creature would be able to call upon any new type of magic absorbed anytime for the rest of it's life. If it indeed was incompatible with the absorbed magic, the creature could utilize it, but only until it ran out of the stored energy of that type." Sombra explained.
"I couldn't have said it better myself." Jetstream replied.
"Wait... No... you can't possibly... you haven't..." Sombra stuttered.
"I have. My entire skeleton is made of katchïn. What you just did was fuel me with enough Shadow Magic to last me very a long time. And seeing as you failed to injure me, I'll use some of it, along with every other type, to kill you swiftly and decisively."
Jetstream's horn glowed gold, and Chrysalis became trapped in a bubble of the same color. Jetstream walked out from under the Crystal Palace, and said:
"You all may want to look away. It's going to get a lot brighter here in a second."
She then turned her attention to the bubble, and sent it rocketing into the sky, until it was only a small golden star among the others in the sky. Finally she cried out:
"Waíse neiat!" Be not.
And the golden star became white, and blindingly bright, like a miniature sun.
"What did you just do?" Percy asked.
"I converted every single atom in Chrysalis and Sombra's collective being into pure energy. It will burn out in about an hour or so, and then I'll send the miniature force field into the core of the sun to safely release the radiation. Until then, we can send our valiant troops home, for they are no longer needed."
With the golden glow on her horn intensifying for a moment, Jetstream turned towards the gathered warriors, thanked them for their service using the Royal Canterlot Voice, and the crowd vanished, with the exception of the Changelings who served the Queens rather than the Equestrian Armed Forces.
"I will be on the northern balcony, keeping an eye on the miniature star I've created." she added, before spreading her wings and flying away.
Twilight turned to her friends. Everypony looked tired, but unharmed.
"I should release my hold on the Crystal Heart now. I don't want to have to sense the entire Empire longer than I have to." she said.
Approaching the heart, Twilight frowned.
"But how am I going to do it?" she asked herself.
A hoof touched her shoulder. Twilight turned to see Cadence standing next to her, smiling.
"All you need is to will for it to happen, and it will." the pink Alicorn said.
Twilight did just that, and the rainbow glow coming from the Heart faded, leaving it the same blue color it had before. Blue which, Twilight noticed, matched Cadence's magical aura. She thanked her sister-in-law and told the others she needed to go for a walk alone, to think. The other ponies nodded and Twilight set out.
Truth be told, Twilight felt miserable. She was glad the war was over, and that Chrysalis and Sombra were gone, but she felt like she'd done nothing. She only stood by, guarding the Crystal Heart. Even then, she spent at least a good hour talking with Annabeth and trying out Iris-Messaging. Twilight looked up at the miniature sun shining above the Crystal Palace. Her mind shifted to the other Alicorns. Celestia raised the sun, and Luna the moon, and both sisters ruled during their time of day. Cadence had been watching over the Crystal Empire, and now she was in charge of the Affairs of State, like she had been before leaving for the Empire with Shining Armor. Jetstream, as Luna mentioned, helped uphold the peace in Equestria. She was also in charge of watching over Discord as his mind healed from the chaos-induced insanity that drove him to attack Equestria two thousand years ago. Meanwhile Nyx was still too young to be responsible of anything major in Equestria, however Twilight had a feeling that the former Nightmare would end up helping Luna watch over the dreamscape. Twilight herself, however, she had no idea what she would do. She was the Princess of Magic, or so everypony thought, but she had no idea what that would entail.
Twilight spread her wings and took flight, circling the Crystal Palace for a few minutes, stirring the dark thoughts in her mind all the while. She then landed on the northern balcony, tucking her wings and leaning against the railing, looking up to the miniature sun, which seemed a little dimmer than before. Jetstream stepped outside, stopping behind Twilight.
"Is everything alright, Twilight?" she asked.
"Leave me alone, Jetstream. I'm lost, and I need to think." Twilight sighed. The sound of hoofsteps fading with distance was heard, then Twilight was again bathed in silence.
She sat there for nearly fifteen minutes, when the sound of four sets of hooves drew near.
"She is broken inside, Celestia. Surely there is something we can do to ease her pain. I do not want for her to be overcome by negative emotions, as I had all those years ago." Luna said.
"Speak to us, Twilight. Bottling up your fears is no way to deal with them. You must tell us what bothers you, or we will not be able to help you." Celestia softly said.
"I don't want to burden you all with my problems. You all have much more important things to worry about." Twilight replied.
"You know that's not true. Nothing means more to any of us than the well-being of those close to us. Tell us what ails you, Twilight. Let us help you." Jetstream said.
Twilight sighed loudly. "Fine."
She turned to the other Alicorns.
"It isn't that I'm ungrateful of all the things that I've earned. Nor of all the journeys I have taken, or the lessons that I have learned. But I wonder where I'm going now, what my role is meant to be. It's just that I don't know to travel to a future that I can't see."
Twilight approached the other Alicorns, who listened intently.
"I have my wings, I wear this crown. I'm a princess, that's true, but it is still unclear to me just what I'm meant to do. I want to have a purpose, I want to do all that I can. I want to make a contribution, I want to be a part of the plan." she added.
Celestia caressed Twilight with a hoof, and said:
"Your destiny is uncertain, and that's sometimes hard to take. Know that your path will become much clearer, with every new choice you make."
"Patience is never easy, I understand wanting more. I know how hard it is to wait to spread out your wings and soar." Luna added.
"Besides, you stand here for a reason. You're gifted and you are strong." Cadence chimed in, making Twilight blush, "If that crown is upon your head, it's because you belong."
Jetstream walked over and stood to face Twilight directly, her asymmetrical eyes peering deeply into Twilight's.
"Know that your time is coming soon, for as the Sun rises, so does the Moon. Just as Love finds a place in every heart, you are a princess, you'll play your part." she said softly.
"Your time will come." Celestia added.
A smile crept onto Twilight's face.
*They're right. There is still time. Besides, I'll live forever, so whatever I'll end up doing will come in time.* Twilight thought.
The sound of hoofsteps filled the air as a panting stallion appeared at they entrance to the balcony.
"Princesses, you are needed at the bottom floor. Prime Minister Consensus would like to speak with you." he said.
"Thank you, Private Sentry." Cadence replied curtly, and the stallion left. "We should go meet him. General Consensus, the Crystal Empire's new Prime Minister, is not the most patient stallion." she added, spreading her wings and leaping off the balcony. Twilight and the others followed. The flight was brief, but it was enough to comfort Twilight a little more. Percy, Annabeth, Nyx, Screwball, Shining Armor, the Changeling Queens and Asbeth, and the other Elements of Harmony were all standing by the Crystal Heart. Relief was apparent on the face of each pony. The same pegasus stallion who had notified them earlier landed by the doors of the Crystal Palace, and said:
"Fillies and Gentlecolts, the Prime Minister of the Crystal Empire, the Very-Honourable General Consensus!"
The doors opened, and a robust crystal stallion with a brown coat and green eyes walked out. A set of even scales marked his flanks.
"On behalf of the entire Crystal Empire, I sincerely thank you for your aid. Without Equestria or the Changeling Nation, the Crystal Empire would be no more. If there is anything we can do to repay this, say it now and we shall do whatever we can to grant it." he said.
"There is nothing the Empire can aid us with at the present time, but we will keep that debt in mind." replied Celestia.
The Prime Minister acknowledged the reply with a nod and added: "In the meantime you're all welcome to stay the night in the Palace if you wish."
The stallion turned around and made his way back to the palace doors
The light emanating from the miniature star faded completely, leaving a small golden speck in the sky among the stars.
"It's over. The souls of the two corrupted rulers are no more. Stydja unin mor'ranr, Chrysalis Dröttning un Sombra Könungr." Jetstream said, and the gold speck flew off to the horizon.
"Where did you send the force field?" Luna asked.
"Into the center of the Sun, where I can safely release the radiation locked in the force field." was the reply.
"A safe plan." Celestia commented. "However we have other things to worry about still. The inhabitants of your hive for example, or Kronos. There is also this "Master" Chrysalis mentioned.
Dianthia stepped closer to the sky-colored Alicorn.
"Allow us to care for the affairs of your hive for now, Jetstream. We must locate and retrieve the younglings who were left behind, for example. I'll see to it that the entire hive is guided to the mesas in the San Polomino Desert, where my Hidden Hive is located. Though I'll personally stay with you, I'm certain one of our fellow Queens would volunteer to oversee this operation. Queen Formora, perhaps?" she added, looking back at the Queen she mentioned, who promptly nodded in agreement.
"Thank you dearly, Dianthia, and you as well, Formora. However I shall keep Asbeth with me, as I promised I'd watch over him." Jetstream answered, the High-Queen returning towards her own subjects to deal with them.
There was a brief pause, then Twilight said:
"Chrysalis mentioned a "Master" she and Sombra answered to. What was the name she gave? Lord Tirek? Who could that be?"
"A puzzling question indeed, Princess Twilight. The name of this Tirek strikes a familiar chord in my memory, but I cannot place where." Luna replied. "But Chrysalis also mentioned him rising from Tartarus, just as we know Kronos is. It is possible that they are one and the same."
"Though I would not want to overlook that fact, little sister, we may want to look into the matter a little closer to be sure. We need to be as prepared as we can be to confront what lies ahead." Celestia added.
"The Canterlot Archives don't mention anything about anyone named Tirek. How are we supposed to find out more?" Twilight asked.
"Perhaps the texts written in the Ancient Language that are located in my library in Altur'Rang could help us. The name Tirek is unfamiliar to me as well, but I feel as if it belonged to someone or something who had a large impact on Equestria's history. It is late however, and we all need a good night's rest after all that happened today. Even I am contemplating sleeping normally tonight, for the first time in twenty centuries." Jetstream suggested.
Everypony in attendance nodded in agreement, and in a flash of silvery light, the group was transported to a vast hall made of a bluish crystal. Golden light emanated from evenly placed tiles on the floor, though it was faint. The ceiling was dark, save for a few specks of white and a larger sphere of white light.
*It looks like the night sky, only much closer.* Twilight noted. She'd been to Altur'Rang before, but never at night, and she usually confined herself to the library it contained.
"Arrows will appear on the floor to each of you and direct you to vacant bedrooms. The very same arrows will guide you to the dining room tomorrow morning for breakfast. Sleep well everypony." Jetstream said, before trotting off, followed by Discord.
The glowing tiles on the floor took on the shapes of arrows and pointed towards the exit of the hall. A number of ponies in the group immediately followed them. Those who stayed behind included Twilight, Screwball, Nyx, Asbeth, and Annabeth.
"Come on, Nyx, Asbeth! I'll show you guys to my room. I've got a spare bed or two I can poof up for you!" Screwball said, and the three foals ran after the chaos filly's parents.
Annabeth turned to Twilight and asked:
"I suppose you'll be running off to the library to try to find something out about this Tirek guy?"
Twilight nodded. "Besides, I don't think I'd be able to sleep right now. Not with everything that went on today. I need to read to distract myself, and I may as well do it productively. The challenge of reading the Ancient Language should be a perfect way to do that."
"Mind if I come with?" Annabeth asked. "I know my way around the Ancient Language now. If we work together, we could find something that much quicker."
"Sure. Company could be nice, follow me." Twilight agreed, a hint of a smile flashing across her face.
Ignoring the arrows on the floor, Twilight set out through the vast crystal corridors, making sure to keep in Annabeth's field of view, so that the demigod unicorn wouldn't get lost. Altur'Rang was nothing more than a vast maze to anypony who hadn't been a frequent visitor. After a few minutes of walking, Twilight pushed open a large set of double doors, opening the way to a vast library. The miniature night sky covered the ceiling of the library, just as it had in the main hall. Shelves almost as tall as the room itself lined the walls and formed a maze of their own throughout the massive chamber. To Twilight's left, the shelves were lined with scrolls and bound books lined the shelves to her right.
"From right to left, you go further into history. In the deepest parts of the scrolls, you'll find the most complex writings in the Ancient Language, that most likely talk about how Equestria came to be, or the ancient history predating the founding of the First Alicorn Dynasty." she explained.
"It's probably also the hardest stuff to read. Let's start in the middle and work towards the older section. If we don't find anything in the next two hours, we go to bed and try again tomorrow, with the help of everypony else who can read the Ancient Language." Annabeth replied, Twilight nodding in agreement.
"... and so it came to pass that King Temporis and and Queen Galaxia had been called upon by Mother Faust and left their kingdom in the capable hooves of their young daughters, Princesses Celestia and Luna. Peace continued to reign over Equestria for centuries to follow." read Annabeth in the Ancient Language, "Ugh..! Nothing here either!" she added in Equish with a groan and a yawn. She slammed the book shut with her magic and dropped it on the table with the others.
"It's gotten late enough. I say we go to bed now." Twilight proposed.
"Let's, I'm tired out of my freaking mind right now." Annabeth replied, yawning even wider, and making no effort to conceal it.
The two mares exited the library, slowly making their way to the bedrooms, following the glowing arrows on the floor. After a few minutes, music could be heard in the distance. Curious, they followed the sound until they reached the same music room Twilight and Percy had found before going to the Crystal Empire to fight. It had hardly been a day, and yet it felt so distant to the lavender Alicorn.
Jetstream sat in front of her piano, once again in her pony-human hybrid form, or "anthro" as Percy had called it. Sky blue wings were folded in her back, between her narrow shoulders. Blue hair streaked in silver cascaded down to her lower back. The Princess of Lightning's blue fingers moved swiftly and gracefully across the keys of the large instrument.
Without turning around, or even moving to acknowledge the two younger ponies' presence, Jetstream said:
"Good evening, ladies. I assume your research has yet to be over?"
"Yeah. We couldn't find anything about Tirek in any of the books we searched." Annabeth replied.
"Perhaps it would be a better idea to ask ponies who lived in that time to help us. High-Queen Dianthia hinted to me that she knew more about Tirek, but agreed only to tell us tomorrow morning, at breakfast."
"That sounds like good idea. Say, you play pretty well, even with fingers." The demigod complimented.
"Why thank you, Annabeth. I've had about half a year's practice in this particular body. I was inspired to use it first when Twilight returned from her ordeal in the human world that sits opposite to this one. Though I've been reluctant to part with my wings, as you can see. I was born with them, and If I ever die, I wish to do so with them as well." The older Alicorn explained.
"And what are you playing, exactly?" Twilight asked.
"A small loop of a tune I composed after Starswirl the Bearded passed away."
"Passed... away?" Twilight stammered.
"Yes. In my early life, I was fascinated by his works. I started to work for the Cloudsdale Municipal Library when I was thirteen, and became it's youngest owner ever at the age of sixteen. Shortly after becoming the Head Book-keeper there, I met him for the first time. My reaction was easily comparable to your friend Rainbow Dash meeting this generation's Wonderbolts face to face for the first time. It started out as a simple acquaintance, but grew into a strong friendship when I moved to Canterlot and became Head Book-keeper at the Canterlot University of Magic. I worked with him as much as I did with Luna. With Starswirl, however, I worked solely on mortal pony magic. He had somewhat of an aversion for studying Alicorn Magic, and categorically refused to even speak of Shadow Magic. Changeling Magic and Chaos Magic were still too scarce and Harmony Magic had yet to be discovered."
Jetstream stopped playing and turned to the younger mares.
"I gradually stopped working with him after I became an Alicorn. The last time I had spoken to him prior to my exile was when I returned from my time with the Changelings. I was delighted to find out he was still alive when I woke up from two centuries of wrestling with my own mind, so I visited him. Starswirl was the first pony I had revealed myself to, and he had also agreed to keep my secret, though at a price. He wanted me to take him with me to Altur'Rang so that he could see it before passing away. He lived here for two whole weeks before finally saying goodbye one last time. He left me his journal, which I copied down. He intended for me to give it to Celestia, which I only did a few months after Luna was banished."
"Did you bury him?" Twilight asked, a tear running down her cheek.
"No. We wanted me to cremate him and to compress him into gemstones. The very same gemstones which now ornate the crest stamped into my favorite worktable in the library. A crest which, by the way, represented his cutie mark." Jetstream replied.
*And to think that I never realized it. That crest caught my attention almost immediately, and it looked so familiar, but I couldn't place where... Starswirl must've been ancient if he lived through Jetstream's two hundred years' downtime. But then again the life-extending enchantment was one of his earliest discoveries.*
"How old was he when he died?" Twilight asked.
"If I recall correctly, two hundred and seventy-three was his age." the older Alicorn replied. "The night grows old, you two. You should run off to bed. Even I will sleep tonight, I think." A green flash later, and there stood the mutated pony that was the Princess of Lightning's natural form. "Good night, and I will see you both in the morning." she added before trotting off into the dimly lit hallways.
"She's right. We should go to bed too." Annabeth said.
Twilight nodded and the two mares set out for their respective bedrooms, led by the arrows on the floor. Twilight wished Annabeth a good sleep and entered her room, collapsing on the bed, too tired to even think of what Jetstream had told her.
* * *
Twilight awoke grumpily six hours later.
*Stupid internal habit clock...* she grumbled internally. For some reason, Twilight's brain was hardwired to wake her up at exactly 8:30AM, no matter how late she went to bed. She also knew there was no way she could go back to sleep until nighttime. Twilight cracked an eye open, looking around her room. Spike's smaller bed was empty, and the artificial sky was clear.
*Follow the arrows to find the breakfast room. That's what the plan is.* Twilight thought, as she slipped out of bed, quickly combed her mane with magic, and walked out of the door. It took a few minutes for Twilight to realize what happened the previous night. Dianthia was going to tell them about Tirek, and preparations will be going accordingly. Kronos also remained an issue, though Annabeth and Percy had already described what the Titan was capable of. Quickening her pace, Twilight's thoughts shifted back to what she had talked about with Jetstream the night before.
*I still can't believe Starswirl the Bearded passed away here of all places. Even now he's resting in the library. It's amazing what destiny can do.*
Twilight arrived in the dining room moments later. A large crystal table lined the center of the room, some ponies already seated at it. Twilight recognized Luna, Rarity, Applejack, Annabeth, Cadence, Fluttershy, Nyx, Screwball, and Asbeth. Standing off to the side of the room was Dianthia, who's expression was dignified and yet soft at the same time. The High-Queen of the Changelings reminded Twilight of her old mentor in that sense. Celestia carried herself in much the same manner, and observed her subjects as a mother would her foals.
*In Dianthia's case, that comparison may not be too far off...* Twilight thought.
"Good morning, Twilight!" Cadence said.
"Hi mom!" Nyx added.
"Good morning everypony." Twilight replied with a smile. Tired as she was, she tried not to show it. Annabeth on the other hoof, apparently didn't care for that effort. The dark bags under the demigod unicorn's eyes were rather prominent on her baby-blue coat. She sat quietly at the table with a steaming mug in her silvery magical grip. Twilight could smell the coffee Annabeth was drinking from where she stood by the table.
"Well don't be shy, sugarcube. Sit on down and talk with us for a moment. Pinkie's in the kitchens, makin' breakfast for us all. Ah'm guessin' Jetstream's in there too. Care for a cup o' coffee?" Applejack said.
"Yes please." Twilight curtly replied. Caffeine was never a good idea for the purple Alicorn, but for the lack of sleep she had gotten, an exception had to be made.
"And how would you like it?" a voice asked, apparently coming from the ceiling. Discord materialized and floated down to the table, snapping the fingers on his lion's paw, and causing a row of over a dozen different coffee pots to appear, along with a purple mug that wore Twilight's cutie mark.
"Black. Also that mug is from my cupboard, in my library. You'd better clean it well and put it back neatly when I'm done with it." Twilight replied.
"Black it is." the draconnequs chuckled as he poured the steaming drink into the mug, then snapping his fingers again to make the other pots vanish. "Careful, it's hot. Freshly brewed not three minutes ago." he added.
As Twilight carefully took a sip from her mug, four more ponies entered the room. Celestia, Rainbow Dash, Jetstream and Percy.
"Good morning everypony." Celestia said.
"A good morning indeed, sister." Luna replied.
The four ponies sat around the crystal table, Rainbow taking a spot between Rarity and Applejack, Percy next to Annabeth, Jetstream at the end of the table, by Discord, and Celestia at the other end, in between Luna and Twilight.
"Coffee for anypony?" Discord offered.
"Espresso." Percy and Rainbow said in unison.
"Double-double." Celestia politely asked. "And decaf for Luna." the Sun Princess added with a smile, her eyes turned to her sister, who returned the favor with a slightly disgusted expression.
As the draconnequs complied, a pink pony came bouncing it, trailed by Spike who pushed a cart-full of food.
"Food's on!" Pinkie exclaimed. "Pancakes for everypony!"
*-*-*
As the meal came to a close, Dianthia stepped forward.
"Thank you all for your patience. As I've already informed Princess Jetstream and a few others, I know a fair bit about Lord Tirek, and my knowledge can be of immense use to you all. I suggest you get comfortable, as this tale is going to take some time to tell."
The Changeling took a minute to gather her thoughts and began:
"Two and a half millennia ago, two incredibly powerful creatures came to this land. Their names were Tirek and Scorpan. They had come with the intention to steal all the magic in Equestria and use it for their own dark purposes. Scorpan arrived first, supposedly as a scout for Tirek. However Scorpan befriended the inhabitants of Equestria, becoming allies with it's then-rulers, King Temporis and Queen Galaxia, whom some of you may recognize as the parents of Princesses Luna and Celestia. Scorpan warned them of Tirek's evil intentions. When Tirek finally arrived, he was quickly defeated by the combined might of Scorpan and the King and Queen. At the time, I was but a normal Queen, and my hive was located in the southernmost reaches of the Rocky Mountain ranges.
"I faintly recall Father telling me of Scorpan and his brother. It was so long ago that I'd nearly forgotten them." Luna said. "But what was Tirek capable of?"
"Tirek was able to absorb magic to replenish his own strength, and had many powerful abilities. His most devastating by far was his ability to influence time itself." Dianthia replied.
"Influencing time? That was one of Kronos' powers!" Percy cried. "He almost killed me twice using it, once back in New York, and once on board the Princess Andromeda."
"I'm starting to think that maybe Tirek and Kronos are one and the same. We become ponies when we come to this world, so maybe Kronos becomes Tirek when the same thing happens to him!" Annabeth added.
"A valid hypothesis, however we have little to no proof of that, right?" Luna asked.
"My colleagues and I kept an eye on Tartarus after Tirek's banishment. Some five hundred years later, less than a year before Princess Jetstream was born, in fact, Tirek's energy completely disappeared from Tartarus, though it did not go quietly. A wave of dark energy exploded across the land. Time seemed to shift uneasily, for about a week, it seemed as though time had slowed to a near halt. A single week felt like a year." Dianthia explained.
"After this dark aftermath subsided, not a single trace of Tirek remained in Tartarus. We tracked his trail in the Pit until we came across a tunnel, from which an orange light emanated. At the end of that tunnel, stood a mirror large enough to block the tunnel. Tirek's trail seemed to stop at that mirror, and even emanate from it, as if he had gone inside. However the mirror was solid, there was no way through. It was also indestructible. No amount of stress, physical or otherwise, could influence it."
"That sounds like the same mirror we arrived in this world through. Tirek must've gone to our world for a time." Percy noted. "But that doesn't make sense, if someone as powerful as Tirek managed to get to our Tartarus, the gods would've immediately known, and then they would've taken him apart. And knowing some of the gods in Olympus, they would've recorded it somewhere, just so they could brag about it to some pretty tree nymphs or something."
Annabeth giggled at Percy's remark. Twilight joined in as she realized he was referring to some of the less humble Olympians, such as Ares, Dionysus, or possibly even Apollo.
"Perhaps," Celestia replied with a wry smile of her own, "but what's important now is that there is worrisome energy growing in Tartarus as we speak. We need to identify the source of it as quickly as possible, so that we may take the swiftest course of action. It is in my belief that the best way to identify this energy is to consult someone who knew Tirek personally, and who could give us an accurate reading. I understand that the High-Queen Dianthia may be one of such individuals, but to be certain, I believe we need to ask someone who was close to Tirek. Someone like his brother Scorpan, if he still lives."
"Were Mother and Father still with us, I'm sure they could've pointed us towards Scorpan with ease." Luna added, "Unfortunately, this is not the case. If we are to find out about Scorpan's whereabouts there is but one book we need to find: Father's logbook."
"His logbook?" Twilight repeated.
"Yes. Before leaving us, Mother and Father left us each something precious to them. Our mother, Queen Galaxia, granted us each control over the Sun, the Moon, and the stars, so what we could govern Equestria just as they had. Our father King Temporis, however, left us his personal notebook. He said that it contained every bit of information he had learned since he had founded Equestria alongside Mother. He also said that if ever we felt lost, and that we needed advice, his logbook was the best place to look." Celestia explained.
"If Mother and Father truly did deal with Tirek and Scorpan in the past, and befriended Scorpan to boot, then it's almost guaranteed that Father recorded any- and everything he learned from Scorpan in his logbook." Luna added.
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's find that book!" Percy exclaimed, hopping out of his seat and into the air with his wings.
"Calm yourself, Perseus Jackson." Jetstream chided, "The king's logbook could be anywhere. We need to make a plan before we go out looking for it."
"Not necessarily, Princess Jetstream." Celestia replied, "Father's logbook can only be in one place: Luna's room in the ruins of the Castle of the Two Sisters."
"My room? Pray tell, sister, why would the book be in my old room?"
"Because you were the one who held onto it the most, Luna. Father left the book for both of us, but you took interest to it much more than I ever did. I remember seeing it placed upon your lectern the night I was forced to banish you."
Both sisters' expressions became grim. Jetstream looked as if she could barely contain her rage.
"Let us not speak of that troublesome night. We must focus on the task at hoof and retrieve the logbook from the ruins." Dianthia said, hoping to change the subject.
Twilight got up from her seat and said: "I can go. I've been to the ruins often enough, I'm sure I can find Luna's old room."
"A good idea, Twilight, but you should not go there alone. Faust only knows what could happen if something were to hurt you while you searched." Rarity added. "Perhaps I could go with you? We'll have better luck if we went together."
"Sure thing, Rarity. I'll be glad to have you along. But I'm leaving immediately, so you'd better be ready, because I'm teleporting there."
The fashionista nodded, and both ponies vanished in a flash of purple light.
The two mares materialized in a vast chamber. Twilight immediately recognized it as the old throne room. Up on the stand were the thrones of the Everfree Sisters, Luna's to the left, marked with the Crescent Moon, and Celestia's to the right, marked with the Sun. Above each throne was a tattered banner representing the time of day assigned to each Sister.
"This place brings back a memory or two, doesn't it?" Twilight remarked.
"That it does. Remember the time when all six of us came here, completely unaware of each other's presence?" Rarity added.
The mares shared a laugh.
"I sure do. I came here with Spike to try to figure out more about that chest we got from the Tree of Harmony."
"And I was here with Fluttershy in the hopes of recovering some old tapestries to restore. Funny thing was everypony ended up scaring themselves half to death on the silliest things."
"Didn't you end up running around in circles crying, with a banner on your head?" Twilight asked.
"Darling, If you truly must know, I wanted to make the castle pristine again and it disagreed with me. If you don't mind, I'd rather not bring that up anymore. Besides, we have to locate Princess Luna's chambers. I suggest we get a move on." the white unicorn huffed.
Twilight shook her head in amusement, chuckling under her breath.
"If you say so. I suggest we start looking in the left wing. Considering it's the side Luna's throne is on, there's a fair chance that the castle wing next to it is the Lunar Wing." she said.
"Sounds like a plan. Let's go."
~*~
Within less than an hour, the two mares' search came to an end. Twilight made sure to take note of a few points of interest in the Lunar Wing, but it was ultimately Rarity who came back to Twilight with an old book in her magical grasp.
"I believe this book may be the one we're looking for, dear. I've read some of the passages and it appears to be King Temporis recording his discoveries. I've also found a passage or two where the King mentions the Princesses." the white mare announced, "From what I've read, Luna and Celestia seem to have had a happy, albeit rather agitated, foalhood. It's quite adorable, really."
"Excellent! Give it to me, I'll need to bring it back to Altur'Rang. The other Princesses are going to want to see this." Twilight replied.
"Before you do, would you mind sending me back to my boutique? I have dress orders to fill and not even the end of the world is a good enough excuse for me not to complete them in time. I'd do it myself, if I were better at teleporting." the fashion pony asked.
Without so much as a blink of an eye, Rarity vanished in a flash of purple light. Twilight immediately turned her attention to the large, ancient book.
*What doesn't make sense to me is why Temporis's journal is a bound book, rather than a scroll. I remember Jetstream mentioning that bound books had only been invented a few years before she was born, and the King left Equestria centuries before that. Maybe Luna knows something.* the lavender alicorn thought as she stared at the worn cover.
She quickly dismissed the thoughts as she readied herself to teleport to Altur'Rang's Great Hall. As she emerged from the light, she immediately found herself several dozen feet above the dining table. Twilight's wings instinctively snapped open, hoping to stop her fall, but it was under her left wing that Twilight was holding the King's journal, which also began to fall. Panicking, Twilight flailed helplessly in the air, a terrified squeal escaping her lips. Her eyes squeezed shut, she waited for the impact, but it never came. Cracking her eyes open by mere millimeters, Twilight noticed she wasn't falling anymore, and the journal was floating next to her.
Twilight looked around herself to find out who had caught her, though she only caught sight of her "savior" after she was gently placed on the floor, and the journal placed on the table next to her.
"You really ought to be more careful, and perhaps a little less lazy, Twilight Sparkle." Luna said softly.
"What do you mean, lazy?" the younger alicorn huffed.
"It wouldn't kill you to not teleport everywhere, or at least to do so in bursts. I understand the need for haste, but you could easily have flown your way back here. What could kill you is a missed teleport like that one, however." the moon princess flatly stated.
Twilight harrumphed under her breath and turned her attention back to the ancient book.
"That matter aside, I do believe I can help you in your search. I know how my father liked to organize his findings. You'll find any information about Scorpan around three-quarters into the book. That's where he kept all of the information on specific individuals."
Twilight gently opened the ancient tome at the spot Luna indicated and began skimming through each page, until she found mention of Scorpan. At the top of the page was a sketch of a creature that stood on two legs, had large bat-like wings, and two large, gnarled horns on it's head.
"Of all the sentient magical beings I've met over my long lifetime, Scorpan is by far one of my favorites. We first met as I was exploring the Old World, a continent far to the east of this land Galaxia and I have come to call Equestria. Scorpan was young and full of vigor, but he had a wise mind and a kind heart as well. He and his people possessed the uncanny ability to absorb magic for power and sustenance. As I met his family and friends, I took note of one who stuck out like a sore limb. When I asked Scorpan about the individual in question, he simply replied with 'That's my adoptive brother, Tirek. My parents found him when we were but infants, and chose to raise him.' ..."
Twilight briefly scanned the next few pages and found nothing more of interest.
"The only thing I've got on where to find Scorpan is the passage about this "Old World" King Temporis mentioned." declared Twilight to her Lunar collegue. "Do you know anything about that place, Princess?"
Luna shook her head solemnly.
"I do not. However, if what Jetstream says is true, and this library of hers contains information about the world predating even my sister's birth, it is possible we may find something concerning the Old World." she said.
"But Annabeth and I searched the Library for hours yesterday, and found nothing concerning the Old World!" Twilight protested.
Luna gave Twilight a pointed look.
"Did you perhaps think of looking at the oldest tomes? It is likely that any information on this Old World would be found there."
Twilight nodded, and then paused to think.
"I remember Jetstream mentioning that the oldest books are large scrolls written purely in the Ancient Language, and are horn/hoof-written as well. As it is, I'm not so good at reading the Ancient Language as to read it's purest form yet, much less if it's mixed with the flaws of writing with horn or hoof, as opposed to magically imprinting each rune cleanly like modern books do."
"Then I shall do my best to aid you. If worse comes to worse, we can always ask Jetstream, who has been reading, writing, and even speaking in the Ancient Language for nigh on eighteen hundred years."
~*~
Twilight spent the better part of the afternoon looking through the oldest shelves of Altur'Rang's library. Luckily for her, Jestream had the good sense to label the scrolls. Not so luckily for her, the labels were written in the Ancient Language, and despite the few months she's had to learn it, Twilight did not grasp the meaning of most of the titles. All she knew was that Old World roughly translated to Mönad'Uldr.
Just as Twilight was about to give up, she found a book who's label read: "Du Mönad'Uldr: Du Nëphalèm abr Draumdar" Twilight gasped as she recognized some of the glyphs, and rushed to find Luna, who had been looking through another shelf a few rows down.
"I think I found it! Mönad'Uldr roughly translates to Old World, right?" Luna nodded slowly, curious to hear what the purple pony princess had to say. Twilight passed her the book, and the Moon Princess attempted to read the label.
"It says... "The Old World: The Valley of Dreams." Luna looked up to Twilight, a knowing glint in her eye.
"I figured out why the Old World meant nothing to me. We've been referring it by the wrong name! The Old World is in fact the place where Alicorns, and Ponykind as a whole first came to exist, where Mother Faust found the inspiration to create us!" Luna cried out joyfully.
"The Old World is, in fact, none other than the legendary Dream Valley!"
